A Phoenixes Love
by alanacrystal
Summary: Two friends separated ten years ago are reunited. A boy seeking to be whole again. A girl seeking his friendship and love. Darkness threatens on the horizon and Bit Beasts and loved ones are in danger. KaiOC, RayMariah, TyHil. Set after G-revolution.
1. A Shattered Friendship

**A Phoenixes****'**** Love**

**Chapter 1 - A Shattered Friendship**

_Snow fell softly through the air, swirling and spiralling as the chilling gust of wind whipped it around. In the snow-blanketed city square of Moscow, children ran and played, building snowmen and pelting each other with snowballs. The usually quiet air was filled with the joyous laughter of the children, mingling with the cheerful talking of bustling adults. A little girl, no more than five years of age, stood alone in the midst of the games and activity. Her raven hair gleamed at her shoulders, dusted with snow. She rubbed her mittened hands together, shivering a little beneath her sheepskin, fur-lined coat. Her vivid violet eyes were bright as they darted around. _

_A snowball came flying out of nowhere to hit her with full force on the back of her head. Vai pitched forward headfirst into a snowman someone had begun to make. As she stood up, brushing the snow from her face and hair, another snowball pelted her - full in the face. She wiped the cold snow from her face and looked up to see a boy a year older than her watching her intently, violet eyes smiling at her. His face had a small, amused smile. His silver hair glistened with snow. "There you are, Kai," Vai told him. "I've been looking for you…" Then, her eyes narrowed and she placed her hands on her hips. _

"_Did _you _throw that?" she asked him in mock suspicion._

_The boy faked astonishment. "_Me_?" he replied with feigned innocence. "Would I do such a thing?" They stared with mocked hardness at each other before bursting into laughter. _

_Vai and Kai played together for a while, bombarding each other with snowballs and building a snowman between them. As they sat down on the metal railings outside her house to catch their breath, Vai noticed that Kai was wearing his favourite long white scarf. He saw her looking at it and smiled slightly. "You know how special it is to me," he said to her. "It reminds me of you, because you're my best friend - and you _did _give it to me as a present at Christmas." She nodded. He glanced at the silver locket about her neck. _

"_That was a gift from you to me at Christmas," she smiled. "And it's really special to me. I'll treasure it forever - because it reminds me of you." Vai fingered her locket, glancing down at it. The locket was oval-shaped, with the words _Best friends _on the front of it. Inside, the two halves of it held two photos; one of herself and Kai. And under each photo, their names had been engraved: Vai - what she preferred to be known as, rather than her full name, which was Violet; and Kai, the name of her best friend. She fumbled with her necklace absently as she tried to pluck up the courage and say something she had wanted to tell him for a long time. _

_During the three years they had been together, a strong friendship had formed between them. As the years had gone by, Vai had started to have feelings for him. She cared for Kai - and wanted him to know how she felt. But even now, she was unsure whether this was the right time to tell him. Vai took a deep breath. "Kai?" she asked. _

"_Yes, Vai?" Kai responded kindly, his violet eyes calm as he gazed at her. _

"_Um…Uh…I just want to say that I…I…I love-" her words were drowned out by the revving of an engine as a black car sped into the square, scattering the people and children. The vehicle pulled up beside Vai's house. Vai's surprised mother opened the door to greet her visitor. A tall old man with grey hair, dressed entirely in black clothes, alighted from the car. "I am Voltaire Hiwatari, Kai's grandfather," he informed the young woman in his very dry voice. "I have come to collect him - and take him home." Vai looked at her confused friend as he looked up at the menacingly tall old man before him. Voltaire wrapped a claw firmly around his grandson's wrist. A man opened the passenger door of the car. "Get in, Grandson," Voltaire told Kai calmly. The boy refused. _

_"_

_I don't have a grandfather!" he objected loudly. "Let me go! My parents never -" His grandfather swiftly cut through his words, pulling Kai towards the car, his claw-like nails cutting in to the child's wrist. _

"_Pay him no heed," he told Vai's mum. "My grandson likes to make up tales, and his truancy knows no -"_

"_No!" Kai screamed. "Let me go!" He tried to pull away from Voltaire, reaching out to Vai as she held her hand outstretched. But the old man seized him back towards the car. He took off a black leather glove and smote Kai soundly across the face. Tears in his eyes, the boy placed a trembling hand to his smarting red cheek. "Get inside, _now_!" Voltaire ordered. Silently, Kai obeyed. _

_Vai made a dash towards Kai. "No - wait!" she cried. "I love you!" She was held back by her mother. The girl struggled and tried to escape, but to no avail. All she could see as the car drove out of the square, was her friend's face, streaked with tears, looking out of the tinted passenger window, small hands pressed against the dark, cold glass. "Kai!" she screamed in anguish. "Kai!" _

_When the vehicle had disappeared, she sank to her knees in the deep snow and burst into floods of tears, crying her heart out. _

"Kai!" Vai shouted as she awoke, jerking bolt upright in bed. Tears welled in her violet eyes. Her heart pounded with fear. She put her head in her hands, sighing deeply. Her body trembled as she sat there, tears soaking and staining the bed sheets. It had happened so long ago; yet the memories were still fresh in her mind. She touched her precious locket briefly. _It__'__s been almost ten years since that day, _the girl reflected. _I haven__'__t seen Kai for such a long time__…__I__'__ve even almost forgotten his face__…_ She sighed again. Her heart ached for him. How she wished that she could see him again; hear his voice, feel his presence once more. _How could his grandfather have done that to him; suddenly appearing and taking him away without letting him say goodbye to me? _Vai thought. _He__'__s so cruel! _She slumped back into the pillows, staring up at the ceiling. _Oh, where are you, my Kai? _she asked silently. _Where are you? _

Confusing, frightening images flashed through Kai's mind. Although most of them were flashbacks of the pain and suffering he had gone through as a child with his grandfather, there were other vague, more puzzling images, too; a small girl with shoulder-length raven hair and violet eyes like his own; blurred images of two faces looking down at him; a claw-like hand cutting into his wrist; and an anguished scream. These, along with other perplexing images, haunted his dreams night after night.

Kai snapped awake, jolting upright. He almost ripped the bed sheets in the process. He panted, heart pounding. Ever since he and his team had won the Justice Five Tournament, the dreams had troubled him night after night. The boy knew why he was having these dreams; it was because his heart yearned for answers - more answers to his past, which was shrouded in mystery to him. Every time he saw the raven-haired girl something told him that he should know her, yet he could not find any memory of her whatsoever. And that was what troubled him the most about his dreams. The girl. Who was she? And what significance did she have?

Kai sighed, looking at his white scarf, which lay folded beside his makeshift bed. The scarf was special to him, for he wore it almost all the time. It had been with him since he had been a child. He wondered occasionally where it had come from in the first place. Had it been a present? Had some dead relative given it to him a long time ago? More unanswered questions. He put his head in his hands. Somehow, he would find the memories he had lost and complete his past.

That morning, Vai woke early, just as dawn was breaking. She was deep in thought while she watched the first light rays of the sun pierce the darkness of the night. No matter what, she was going to find Kai. She needed to see what he looked like, now that almost a decade had passed since they had last seen each other. The little she had heard about him gave her a starting point in her search. Japan. Kai had returned to Japan after battling the Beyblade World Champion at the BBA World Championship Finals. Whether he was still there or not, she would still go to Japan and find out.

The girl told her parents her plan at breakfast. Her mother and father understood how she felt and agreed to help her find Kai. Two days later, they were on a plane bound for Japan. Vai stared out of the window. _Wherever you are, I__'__ll find you,_ she thought. _Kai - I__'__m coming to see you. _She touched her locket, her fingers tracing over the words _Best friends_. _I just hope we__'__ll still be friends when we meet_, she added silently, _or I__'__ll never get to tell him how I feel about him__…_The plane landed at Tokyo Airport. As she and her parents walked down the ramp and exited the plane, Vai steeled herself. This was it. The search for Kai had begun.

She stayed in a hotel with her parents in Tokyo for one night while she found out more about Kai's whereabouts. It turned out that he was still in Japan and was staying in a small coastal city some distance from Tokyo called Bay City. This was where she would search for him. She clutched the sapphire-blue Beyblade in her pocket and smiled as she watched the busy city of Tokyo below her hotel room window. Maybe she would even get to challenge him to a Beybattle.

The next day, she and her family took a train from Tokyo to Bay City. They found a hotel to stay in and began to unpack their belongings. As soon as her unpacking was done, Vai locked the door to her room and loitered outside her parents' room. There was a big park in the city - and it was the first place she wanted to search for Kai. Her parents happily allowed her to go to the park on her own. The teenager walked down the pavement until the park came into view. She slid down one of the grass slopes there and looked around. Water flowed in front of her, and on the other side of it she saw a big playground, full of swings, slides and things to climb on. Further on, there was a small forest and a flat mini-plain of grass before it. She smiled. The Central Park was beautiful!

Her good hearing picked up a faint but unmistakable sound. The sound of a Beyblade spinning. Eagerly, Vai followed the sound. A white Beyblade wove magical moves over the smooth terrain of the playground. Its Bit Chip flashed a sky-blue colour in the summer sunlight. The blade careered back to its owner. Vai looked up to see a dark-haired boy a little older than her collect up his Beyblade. Her eyes widened. It was the Beyblade World Champion, Tyson Granger, the boy whom Kai had battled against in the Finals! Maybe he would know where Kai was. Vai had heard that he had once been team-mates with Kai - whether they were still, she didn't know. But there was the possibility that he knew _something_ about Kai's location. Taking a deep breath, Vai addressed Tyson. "Tyson, would you know where Kai Hiwatari is?" she asked.


	2. Longlost Friends Reunite

**Chapter 2 - Long-lost Friends Reunite **

The boy looked surprised. "Yeah," he replied, "He's at my house. Why - you wanna speak to him?" The girl nodded eagerly.

"It's important," she answered, unconsciously fingering her locket. She felt it open and Tyson's eyes glanced at the two photos briefly. Her face flushed slightly as he looked at her again.

"That's you and Kai when you were small, isn't it?" he asked softly, a smile

crossing his face. Vai's cheeks flushed a bright red.

"Yes…" she mumbled. Then she sighed sadly and turned away from him, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. Vai closed her eyes. "But that was a long time ago…" she told Tyson quietly. "Since that time, we haven't seen each other at all…I don't think Kai will even remember me…" Her tears flowed unchecked down her face, falling silently to the ground. Tyson looked at her sympathetically.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Kai'll remember with some memory-jogging," he said reassuringly. "C'mon. You can come with me if you like and talk to him." Vai brushed her tears away and looked at him gratefully.

"You'd do that?" she answered with a watery smile. "Thank you, Tyson."

He smiled back. "Uh-huh," he beamed. "What's your name?"

"Vai."

Tyson laughed. "Let's go, Vai!" he chuckled. "Or my friends'll wonder where I am!"

Together, with Tyson in the lead, they ran out of the park and went to his house. The dojo was a traditionally built Japanese house, with a porch at the front and a veranda circling it. As they entered his small front garden, two boys Tyson's age rushed to meet them. A black-haired Chinese boy with orange, cat-like eyes called out to Tyson: "Hi, Tyson! Good to see you!"

Tyson beamed. "Hello, Ray."

The other boy, a blond-haired teen with bright blue eyes, shouted a greeting in his American accent. Tyson grinned even more. "Yo, Max! What's up, buddy?" he replied. He introduced them to Vai. They were just two members of his team. Two more teenagers arrived - a small, brown-haired boy with glasses called Kenny and a girl Tyson's age named Hilary. Tyson introduced them to her too before looking around in puzzlement. Vai looked at him quizzically. "Who're you looking for?" she asked him.

"Kai - he should be here," he answered.

Ray knew where he was. "He's in the dojo," he piped up. Tyson nodded his thanks before leading Vai into the house. They entered a large, spacious room with a polished wooden floor. It was empty except for the ancient, tall sword that stood on display at the end of the room. The last team-mate of Tyson's team leaned against the wall, eyes closed. His silver hair shone slightly in the sunlight that streamed into the room from the window. A fierce, triangular dark blue battle insignia was painted on both of his cheeks. He opened his eyes. Cold violet eyes regarded them seriously. Vai caught her breath. It was Kai!

He looked much taller and older than when she had last seen him. Muscular arms were crossed as he gazed calmly at them. Kai was tall and slim - and was undeniably very handsome and proud. He took Vai's breath away. "Kai, I have a friend who needs to talk to you," Tyson told him. "This is Vai." Vai stepped forward and faced Kai. His gaze was icy as he looked upon her.

"We meet again," she said quietly. "I haven't seen you for almost ten years." Kai remained silent, studying her briefly. _She has long raven hair_, he noted. _Which is waist-length. Her eyes - they__'__re like mine. And she__'__s wearing a locket. She looks like the girl in my dream - but no, this girl was smaller, about five or six years old. This one__'__s about fifteen. Yet I feel as if I should know her__…_

Kai turned away from her. "You're wasting your time."

Vai sighed. _His eyes are so cold__…__and he doesn__'__t even smile_, she thought. _Oh Kai, what has Voltaire done to you? _Tears stung her eyes. _It__'__s just as I thought - he doesn__'__t even recognise me. _She was about to turn and leave when, with a soft click, her locket opened.

Kai turned around at the sound, his eyes darting to the locket's photos. His eyes widened slightly, his hand going to the scarf wrapped around his neck as he looked at the pictures. Then, his gaze came to rest on Vai. This _was_ the girl from his dream - but she had got older. The small girl in the locket's photos was what he had seen in the flashback of a memory he didn't remember, from the dream. And what had she said? That she hadn't seen him for almost ten years. _But how can that be? _he wondered._ I don__'__t remember anything about her__…__Perhaps she can help me discover the forgotten memories of my past__…__she seems to know me well enough. _"We need to talk alone," Kai told Tyson. Tyson nodded understandingly and left the room. Kai looked at Vai steadily. "Start from the beginning. What are your earliest memories of me?"

Vai thought hard for a moment. "When we first met…as toddlers…" she replied. "I was two when I met you. It was a bleak, bitterly cold day in Moscow, winter already in full swing…"

_Snow fell heavily in the stone city of Moscow. Children, clad in thick winter clothing and fur-lined coats, played in the city square. Some distance from the activity, a small, two-year-old girl sat alone on a cold stone bench, her short raven hair tied back into a little brush-like ponytail. She shivered, pulling her coat tightly around her. No one wanted to play with her, nor be friends with her; she was a puny urchin, the other children said, not worth their time. Little Vai sighed sadly. She felt so lonely, with no one to talk to. Someone saw how upset she was - and pitied her. Footsteps sounded as they crunched through the deep snow towards her. _

_A boy with short silver hair walked over to the girl. He was a year older than her, but the snow almost came up to his waist. "Are you lonely?" he asked her. Vai nodded glumly. He sighed. "Me too." _

_Then, Vai's face brightened. "Why don't we play together?" she suggested brightly. The boy liked the idea, agreeing profoundly. _

"_I'm Kai," he told Vai. _

"_I'm Violet," she answered, "But I like to be called Vai." _

_Kai and Vai played together and soon became fast friends. The other children in the city respected Kai, and did not dare to shun him. His quiet nature and good advice were sometimes needed, so no one bullied him. It was because of this that Vai was no longer taunted. The other children soon learned to respect her, too, as her thoughtfulness and kindness towards people could also help them solve their problems. A strong friendship began to form between Vai and Kai; a friendship that would withstand the test of time, and would endure the trials and tribulations of life. _

Vai finished her story. "From then on, we were good friends," she concluded. "And were together for three years, until…" She trailed off, closing her eyes and falling into a heartbroken silence, tears coming to her eyes. Tears slid down her face, silently falling to the floor. Kai, seeing her distress, asked quietly, "What happened?" Keeping her eyes closed, Vai recalled how she and Kai had been separated so long ago. She told him about how she had looked around for him in the city square, but had not seen him; the snowball fights she and Kai had had before sitting down and taking a break. Vai also said about their brief conversation on the Christmas gifts they had received from one another. "So that's where I got my scarf from…you gave it to me when I was six," Kai said. She nodded. She carried on to recall what happened, telling him about the thing she'd been about to confess to him - and the loud car engine that had taken her words away; the girl then proceeded to recall his grandfather, and how he had been taken away from her.

Kai listened calmly to what she had to say before searching deep within himself, trying to recall the memory as she had done. And suddenly, it was there. Her story had jogged his memory. "I…remember," he breathed. One fragment of his forgotten past was complete. Vai opened her tear-filled eyes and looked at him.

"You remember?" she asked. "That's good!"

He nodded. It was a start. _It looks like Vai can help me after all, _he thought.

"I suppose the reason I couldn't remember how we met or our separation is because of the suffering I went through living with Voltaire. Those painful memories shut out the nice ones before I lived with him," Kai told Vai. He looked at her intently. "You were going to say something to me before Voltaire came, weren't you? But he interrupted you. Why don't you tell me now?" Vai caught her breath, heart pounding. Her face flushed red.

"What - now?" she answered nervously. "But -" _I don__'__t think I__'__m ready, _she said silently to herself. _What can I do? He might not love me back. _Although she yearned to tell him there and then, she knew it wasn't the right time. She had only just got there, and besides, Kai needed to get used them being friends before she moved on to love. "I'm not ready to tell you yet," Vai told him regretfully. "It's too early. I promise I'll tell you later on." She held out her little finger, smiling. "Pinky swear." Silently, Kai wrapped his own little finger around hers and they shook fingers. As they let go, Vai realised that this was the first act of friendship she had shown him in years - and he had accepted it! Her smile brightened. It was good to know they were still friends. _This could be the start of a whole new relationship, _she thought. _And a whole new Kai. _

Vai looked at her blue Beyblade as she sat under the shade of the tree in Tyson's garden. The sapphire-blue phoenix on the Bit Chip, in shining silver armour, was soaring on elegant, sparkling wings. The Bit Chip flashed at her. She smiled. "I know, Icefire," she sighed. "You want to take on Dranzer, but you'll have to wait. Kai needs to come to terms with me first before _you_."

A piercing scream snapped Kai out of his dreamless sleep. He sat up quickly. Beside him, Vai was trembling violently, gasping for breath. Tears rimmed her eyes. "Hey. Are you okay?" Kai asked her. She silently shook her head. Kai and Vai winced as the dojo lights were switched on, the sudden brightness dazzling them. The team looked at Vai anxiously. "What happened?" Ray addressed her. The Russian, unable to suppress her fear any longer, burst into tears, clinging to Kai. Kai, looking slightly taken aback, let the girl cry into his shoulder. The others watched for his reaction as Vai's sobs quietened, expecting him to roughly push her away, or to tell her snappishly to get off him - but he didn't. Instead, he gently disengaged her grip from him and looked into her eyes, violet eyes penetrating. His face remained unreadable when he had finished. "Her heart is filled with fear," Kai told his team-mates. "She's had quite a scare."

Ray asked Vai again what had happened in her dream. Vai explained, (between occasional sniffs), what she had seen. "I saw an ugly black phoenix," she remembered, shuddering. "It was so evil…with blood-red eyes that seemed to see straight through you…and a cloaked gang with strange, powerful creatures…and, and they had…your Bit Beasts…including mine…" The team looked thoughtful. Ray was the first to break the silence.

"It sounds like premonition to me," he informed all of them.

Max agreed. "Yeah," he replied, "And that cloaked gang sounds like the Dark Beybladers…it's gotta be them. Who else would it be?"

Tyson looked thoughtful. "And they had the Bit Beasts…" he mused. "What can it mean?" There was a long pause before Kai spoke up.

"That black phoenix," he said quietly. "It's Black Dranzer…" The very room seemed to turn cold at his words, and a sudden, fierce wind howled outside. Even Vai's blood became chilled and curdled at the sound of Black Dranzer's name; it struck fear into the heart of every Beyblader, even beginners - the very name was as cursed as the malevolent creature itself. Vai looked around fearfully at her friends' terrified faces and she and Hilary asked in small, quavering voices, "Black Dranzer?" Kai sighed, closing his eyes.

"One of the most scary memories of my past," he told them seriously. "One I'd rather forget… It all started back when I was six, and I had been sent to a harsh place called Balkov Abbey, after I had begun to live in the care of my grandfather. I was trained like a soldier in the art of Beyblading by a shady man named Boris. One day, me and my fellow trainees were shown a new Beyblade the abbey scientists had created…Black Dranzer…" Vai and Hilary listened as Kai recalled the terrible memory.

Even as a kid, Kai had been a powerful Beyblader. And this power was revealed as he had released Black Dranzer's full power one fateful night. The young boy, of course, had been completely terrified of the creature when he saw it and was hit with the awful realisation of what he had done. Just by launching Black Dranzer, he had practically destroyed half of the abbey - and had unleashed the Bit Beast within the Beyblade.

Eight years later, Boris had had evil plans for the Bladebreakers' Bit Beasts. And to capture them, he had Black Dranzer. He had many Beybladers try out the Beyblade, but none had been able to control it. There was only one person who would be able to do that. Kai. Used and manipulated by Boris, poor Kai had been forced into using Black Dranzer on his team-mates in the Beyblade World Championships, competing on the rival team, the Demolition Boys. He would have fought against Tyson's team in the Finals, had Tyson not brought him to his senses after an all-out battle before the deciding round, in an isolated field some distance from the Championships.

The dangerous battle had taken place on the uneven surface of a large, frozen lake in the centre of the field. The ice had cracked beneath Kai's feet - and the teen would fallen in if his old team-mates hadn't been there to save him. Kai couldn't believe they were helping him - after everything he had done, all the things he had said; but Tyson told him that it didn't matter. He was their friend and still was, even though he had betrayed them. So, thanks to this, Kai returned to the Bladebreakers and they became World Champions, triumphing over the Demolition Boys and thwarting Boris, who had been bent on taking over the world. "That's how the team became champions for the first time," Kai concluded. Tyson looked at Vai intently.

"If the premonition changes, or you see it more often, tell us," he told her. She nodded. She took out her Beyblade. _I won__'__t let anyone have you, Icefire_, she said silently to it. The blue phoenix flashed.

_No one will capture me - that's for sure_, it replied. Vai smiled. She realised that the team were peering down at Icefire and blushed slightly. "Sorry I didn't show my blade to you earlier," she mumbled.

Tyson laughed. "Don't worry about it, Vai!"

Kai scrutinised Icefire with an experienced eye. It definitely looked powerful, and its Bit Beast had the good potential of a major development in its powers. _It kinda looks like Dranzer_, he thought as he studied the Bit Chip's image. He smirked faintly. Vai's Beyblade looked like a worthy opponent to battle against. He would have to challenge Vai sometime to a Beybattle, and see what her power was like. Kai looked at his own Beyblade. _But Dranzer Tempest wouldn__'__t be beaten that easily in battle, _he thought. Vai would have to watch out when she battled him and Dranzer. The lights were turned off again, and the team settled down once more. Vai was no longer troubled by the premonition - and Kai, for the first time in ages, was not haunted by the disturbing visions he had been seeing for the last month.


	3. A Dark Encounter

**Chapter 3 - A Dark Encounter And Vai****'****s Life-threatening Experience **

Vai awoke, blinking in the soft light of morning as sunlight streamed through the window. Brushing sleep from her eyes, she looked at Kai's makeshift bed, that was next to hers. Kai wasn't there. _He's probably gone out for some air_, she thought, sitting up. It was then that she was struck with a thought. His bed was beside hers. Had he voluntarily slept beside her? Or had he just slept there anyway? _He might want to be my friend after all_, she thought. She smiled. _I sure hope so. But I'll find out as time goes on; it could be that it's just wistful thinking…and he doesn't want to be my friend at all… _Her smile faded slightly as she shrugged. She would find out some when if their friendship was to carry on; there was hope that it would last for a long time to come, and Vai hoped that she and Kai would still be friends in the future.

The girl slid open the wooden front door and slipped out into the small garden. She had taken a Beystadium out with her and set it down on the ground. Thrusting out her launcher, Beyblade and ripcord inserted, she took up her position at the arena. "LET IT RIP!" her shout rang out. Icefire flew into the stadium, a blur of sparkling sapphire. As everything was quiet and she was alone, Vai unleashed her Bit Beast. The giant, elegant creature rose up before her, gliding on wings at least thrice the width of itself. Each individual feather sparkled and shone like crystals when they caught the light of the sun. The phoenix's eyes, the same colour as its body, looked at her kindly. Its call sounded out coolly, chiming and crystalline.

"Sapphire Blizzard!" Vai called. The blue phoenix vanished into a blast of fierce wind; a freezing gale that ripped through the garden, a chilling blizzard of sapphire-blue ice crystals raining down. Soon, the whole garden was engulfed and frozen in a crystalline, sapphire-ice structure. "Well done, Icefire!" Vai told her Bit Beast. "Nice job." As she scooped up her Beyblade, she looked around at the frozen garden and sighed. How was she going to clear this up before the team came out? Even the sun itself could not melt _this_ ice. A dark blue Beyblade shot into the garden out of nowhere, spinning with amazing, almost effortless ease over the uneven, frozen ground. The blade blazed with bright red fire, its mystical flames melting the ground as it span towards her, leaving the ground drenched in the water from the melted ice in its wake. The Beyblade span on the spot in front of her.

Vai looked up to see Kai stride uncaringly through a particularly large puddle. He silently held out his hand and Dranzer flew into it. He glanced around at the flooded garden and raised an eyebrow. "_You_ did this?" he asked. Vai's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment as she looked about at the huge puddles that covered the ground. She giggled nervously, nodding. The corners of Kai's mouth twitched with amusement. "Good Special Attack," he approved calmly. "Just a little _wet_."

Vai's flush turned from pink to red at his words. He looked at her, shaking his head. With that, Kai returned to the dojo. Vai sighed. "This is great, just great," she muttered. "The garden's all slushy thanks to me. What will Tyson's grandfather say?"

At that moment, Ray came out, stretching extravagantly. His yellow-orange eyes were bright in the morning light. He gave Vai an almost catlike grin, his long sabre-like canines slipping over his lower lip. They flashed brilliant white as they did so. Vai beamed back. "'Morning, Ray," she smiled. The Chinese teen laughed a small laugh.

"Good to see you too, Vai," he replied cheerfully. Max looked over Ray's shoulder at her and winked, flashing a big smile. Vai nodded to him, tucking a loose strand of glossy raven hair behind her ear. Her friends stepped out in to the garden, looking around at the puddles. Vai laughed. "Early morning training," she chuckled. Ray and Max didn't seem to mind. They practiced in the garden anyway, easily adapting to the flooded ground. Kai came out just then, and also joined in the training. Vai found herself training alongside him, and her heart leaped for joy. He didn't seem to notice her happiness as she and Icefire practiced.

Tyson's loud shout made Vai and the others jump out of their skins. "Hilary!" he groaned. Hilary walked out of the house, trying to suppress whoops of mirth. Her ruby-red eyes twinkled with amusement. Then, she burst out laughing. Max and Ray looked at her in suspicion.

"What did you do to our team-mate?" they asked together. The girl put on an innocent, wide-eyed lost little girl look.

"Oh, nothing…" she replied sweetly in a girly voice. Ray fixed her with a mockingly fierce cat stare.

"Spill it, Hilary," he told her, his eyes becoming catlike and an intensely bright yellow. Max also stared at her sternly. Kai watched this from a distance, violet eyes amused as he saw Hilary back away from them.

"Okay, okay," she relented. "I surrender!"

"I just gave him a drink of water, that's all," she explained.

Ray gave her a mocking dark look. "You mean, you _soaked_ him with water," he corrected.

Hilary threw her hands up in exasperation, sighing irritably. "Oh, whatever!" she huffed, "He needs to wake up _some_time!"

Muttering and grumbling, a dripping, bleary-eyed Tyson stalked out into the garden. He shot Hilary a dark look before getting on with his practicing. Vai smiled to herself. _What a pair! _she thought, shaking her head.

That evening, at Central Park, Kai wandered around the playground absently, alone in his thoughts. His mind dwelt on the premonition Vai had told them about a night ago. What did it mean? The Dark Beybladers…Black Dranzer…their Bit Beasts, captured…the evil gang's Bit Beasts more powerful than they had been before… He thought hard about it, yet the answer to the strange dream eluded him. When would the gang appear? And how could Black Dranzer return, when it had been destroyed so many years ago? He paused in mid-walk as he was hit by an awful thought. What if Black Dranzer hadn't been destroyed, just lost somewhere, waiting to be released once again? The boy gave an involuntary shudder. He shivered inwardly.

"Kai Hiwatari," an icy, evil voice hissed. "We meet again, at last." Kai whirled around.

"Who's there?" he demanded. "Show yourself!" Seemingly from the shadows themselves, a shady cloaked figure emerged. The man's face was hidden beneath a hood, but his eyes glowed with an eerie, cold, blood-red aura; they pierced the dim light of the evening. He fixed an unwavering, piercing gaze upon Kai, eyes heartless and blazing with an evil lust. This terrifying stare was enough to even scare Kai, but the teen showed no outward emotion and remained calm and silent. He shot back an icy death glare. These were a well-known factor about him, and always unsettled his victims. The cloaked figure cringed and looked away. No one could ever withstand Kai's chilling stares for long. They were unnervingly penetrating and struck terror into the hearts of those they were directed at. No one evil could ever beat the horrifying, soulless, cold-hearted glare that seemed to bore into their very heart and soul.

Kai smirked. He could always stare someone down, no matter who they were, and he always won staring contests. If looks could kill, Kai's certainly would have killed many - including the creepy guy confronting him now. "What do you want from me?" he interrogated the man. "And what're you doing here?"

"I've come…for you," was the answer. "Because you're the only one who can do it."

Kai felt his skin crawl. "Do what?"

The newcomer stared at him coldly. "Control Black Dranzer."

Vai snapped awake, heart pounding. Something had woken her, but she didn't know what. Something told her that a terrible thing was about to happen; and its occurrence was imminent. She leaped out of bed, dressed into normal clothes and slipped out of her hotel room, locking the door behind her. She sped out of the hotel, taking her Beyblade with her. Vai needed to get to the park - and fast. All she knew was that Kai was in danger, and needed her help. She had to stop him, before it was too late.

Kai's heart beat faster. "Black Dranzer's…alive?" he asked slowly. "But, how in -"

The cloaked figure regarded him icily. "Yes," he answered. "More alive than you think."

"You're needed," he continued, "To control Black Dranzer. And if you don't comply, the consequences will be grave…don't forget, I have other powers besides the ones to control a Bit Beast…" He bared long, lethal fangs that were curved at the tips. They flashed a luminous white in the dim light as he menacingly advanced towards Kai.

Without warning, a Beyblade flashed past Kai, zipping through the air to slash at the hooded man, cutting his face. Blood flickered through the air. The man stopped in his tracks, placing a pale hand with long, sharp nails to his cut-open cheek. "Leave him alone!" Vai snapped, appearing beside Kai.

"You've got nothing to do with this," the vampire-like man retorted. "I'll kill both of - "

"Keep your mouth shut!" Vai cut in, "Or it'll be more than your cheek that gets ripped out!" Icefire returned to her palm and she re-attached it to its launcher, thrusting it and the Beyblade out threateningly towards him, aiming for the person's neck. The cloaked figure retreated, backing away from her and Kai.

"You can't protect him forever, girl!" he hissed, before vanishing back into the shadows.

Vai sighed with relief. "Phew, that was a close one," she gasped. "You were almost a goner!" She looked at him anxiously. "You're not hurt, are you?" Kai shook his head. Thanks to her, he had escaped unscathed. The girl shuddered. "He wasn't human, was he?" she shivered. "There's something creepy about him…and those fangs…ugh. I hate to think what he'd have done to you." She shivered again, grimacing. "He gave me the creeps."

"That vampire guy comes from the Dark Beybladers," Kai explained to her.

"Are th-they all like that?" Vai asked fearfully. "Have fangs and stuff, I mean?"

He nodded. "Uh-huh. Their Bit Beasts are like that, too."

Vai grimaced even more. "_Great_." Kai looked at her reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Vai," he told her seriously. "We won't let them bug us. The team'll beat 'em."

She looked at him thankfully. Then, her face turned to surprise. "You said my name," she breathed.

Kai shrugged. "Yeah, what of it?"

"It's just that it's the first time you've used it in years," she replied, eyes shining. "I think you like me more, is all." With that, Vai smiled at him brightly and began to walk out of the park. Kai, a little confused and startled by what she had said, followed close behind her.

Vai fell straight to sleep as she laid her head into the pillow, back in her hotel room. All that excitement with the Dark Beyblader in the park had worn her out. She slept fitfully, but knew that the threat from the shady team wasn't over yet. They would be back, for sure. The Bit Beasts, including hers, were in terrible and grave danger…and the battle had only just begun.

Kai's team, the next day, after hearing Kai and Vai's tale of what had happened the previous night, vowed to take the Dark Beybladers down and practiced even harder. Mr. Dickenson, Head of the Beyblade Battle Association, (the BBA), also heard about what happened and promised in an e-mail that he would look for the evil team and try and track them down. "He hasn't got much hope of catching them," Tyson remarked as they gathered around Kenny and his laptop to read the e-mail. There were nods and murmurs of agreement from the team members. Only Kai said nothing, silent as usual.

They practiced hard over the following week, so they would be prepared if the Dark Bladers struck again without warning. But there were no other events concerning the shady team and no one saw any sign of them. Mr. Dickenson, pleased that they were working so hard, said they could have a well-earned day of rest at the beach. He hired a coach for them, and they were taken to the beach the next day.

The beach was beautiful. Surrounded by towering cliffs, it had miles of golden sand and a calm, crystal-clear sea. Vai sighed with content as she relaxed in the cool water, drifting up and down with the waves. Tyson, Kenny and Hilary swam close by, also enjoying the water. Ray and Kai relaxed in the shade of the overhanging cliffs. Daichi, a feisty little red-haired kid, had rejoined the team after staying in his village for a while after they had won the Justice Five Tournament. He had also joined in with the beach trip and swam in the water with Tyson and his friends. Vai liked him; he was amusing and funny in many ways - the way he acted, what he said. He even amused Kai at times, making him almost smile at his comical antics. His bright, emerald-green eyes danced as he played about in the water.

Vai stopped floating and swam gracefully to the shore, walking up on to the soft, dry sand. Her skin and hair glistened with droplets as she walked over to Kai and Ray. She lay down in the shade beside Kai, relishing the feel of the soft, warm sand beneath her. As they lay there, tiny stones fell down from the cliffs. They bounced off Kai's nose. He looked up. Bigger stones rolled down the cliff face now, with huge boulders that tumbled after them. For the first time, Kai's face showed emotion briefly but clearly - and that emotion was fear. "Guys - look out!" he shouted frantically. Ray managed to escape, but Vai wasn't quick enough. Screaming with terror as the rocks plummeted towards her, she shut her eyes.

Someone threw themselves against her, hurling her flat against the cliff wall. As debris and rocks pounded their body, the person didn't even flinch, standing utterly still, keeping her against the cliff. When the rockslide had ceased, Vai opened her eyes. Kai's face peered down at her. His eyes, instead of being cold and hard, were soft and worried. "You okay?" he asked. She nodded breathlessly. He stopped pressing his body against hers and stood facing her, shaking the dust and debris from his hair. Vai was silent and speechless with astonishment. Kai had protected her from the rocks, shielding her from harm, and getting hit by them instead of her. He had saved her life.

"Thank you, Kai," she told him. He nodded, then looked up suspiciously at the cliff face, violet eyes narrowing. She looked at him quizzically.

"What's up?" Vai asked him.

"Something must've set that off," he replied. "It wasn't unstable when we got here…and I thought I saw someone just now. I bet it was a Dark Blader."

She sighed. "They're after us again."

Kai nodded. "Yeah…" The team, after just witnessing what had happened, ran over to them anxiously.

"You guys okay?" Tyson panted.

"Yeah," Ray answered, "It sure was a close one. We would've been dead meat if it hadn't been for Kai." He smiled at Kai, adding, "And he saved Vai's life - he stopped her from getting hurt by the rocks!"

Tyson also beamed at Kai. "Well done, buddy," he laughed. The Russian remained silent, but Tyson swore that he saw the ghost of a smile flicker across his friend's usually emotionless face.

Vai glanced up at the cliff face. The Dark Beybladers were out there, somewhere, she knew. This had been their second strike - and she and her friends had won again. They had purposely set off a rock slide to hurt - or maybe even kill - her and the team. Who knew what third terrible deed they would think of next? Her heart clenched with fear at the thought of them plotting something even worse than what had happened today. She shivered, in spite of the warm summer day. Something told her that she and her friends might not be third time lucky.


	4. Kai and Vai's Friendship Deepens

**Chapter 4 - Kai and Vai's Friendship Deepens **

Kai jerked awake, his breaths rasping in his tight chest as he gasped for air. He had had another nightmare. The same, confusing visions eluded him, but instead of the anguished scream, he heard another, more frightening sound that was all too familiar; Black Dranzer's call. It had haunted him constantly during the dream, shrilling out its malevolent, heartless screech that was so piercing that could shatter the eardrums of anyone who heard its chilling cry. Kai shuddered as he remembered it. He looked for Vai's sleeping form beside him, but found Ray instead. It was then he remembered. She was back at her hotel. He shook his head. Why was he thinking about her, anyway? He had other things to worry about.

In her hotel room, Vai was also being troubled by nightmares. The same premonition had returned to haunt her and she tossed and turned restlessly in her sleep. She awoke, hot and sweating. She trembled violently, tears in her eyes. _How I wish Kai was here_, the girl thought. _I felt safer with him there after I had the dream for the first time. Now I have to handle it alone__…__I need you, Kai! _She buried her face into her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Vai stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes. _I__'__ll go to him_, she decided. _I need to talk to him about the premonition. _She slipped quietly out of the room, locked the door, and strode briskly out of the hotel.

The dojo was in darkness when she reached it. Vai silently opened the wooden door and crept inside. She sneaked into the large room with the giant sword at the end. The team were there, all fast asleep, except for Kai. He was sat up in his makeshift bed, looking lost in thought. He caught sight of her as she went towards him. She threw herself against him, sobbing into his chest. She felt his arms snake around her, fierce in their hold. She snuggled into his warm chest as he gently laid his head on top of hers. Her sobs faded and ceased.

As she leaned against his comforting body, Vai felt calmer and stronger. Thanks to him, she was happy again. He let go of her and she moved to sit in front of him. The embrace he had given her had been out of friendship; she knew that. She hoped that in the future, his next embrace would be from love; from the heart. "I've had that premonition again," Vai told him. "It's the same one, but it still scares me." She looked at Kai gratefully. "Thanks for comforting me; I needed it," she added.

Her friend nodded, then sighed. "I've had another nightmare, too," the teen informed her. "It's haunted me for ages. It stopped when you came, but it's started again." He explained to her about the strange dream, filled with unremembered memories of his forgotten past, and that she had helped him rediscover some of those memories. "I hear Black Dranzer's call in my dream," Kai told Vai. "I think it means the battle with the dark gang is getting closer - and that we'll see Black Dranzer very soon." They shuddered as he said this.

They looked at each other in silence for a minute, before Vai broke the quietness, whispering, "What can we do?"

"Nothing," he replied calmly, "but we can be ready for what they throw at us. Then, at least, we'll stand a chance at taking them down." His coolness and calm approach to the situation reassured her. Knowing that their training would prepare them for tough battles also calmed her. Kai was right. If they were prepared, they would be able to rise to the challenge - and meet them head-on.

Vai had a surprise waiting for her when she woke in the morning and the bell to her room rang. She peered through the peephole. Tyson's nose was abnormally large, maximised to six times its normal size, and almost took up the whole space. She could just make out Hilary's face in the background, looking extremely small compared to the fat nose pressed against the peephole glass. Her friends had come to see her! Vai opened the door, warmly welcoming them in. "Hi, Hilary and Tyson," she greeted them. "Thanks for coming to see me!" Her friends sat down on the small sofa beside her room window while she sat on a chair opposite them.

"Kai told me that you've had the dream again," Tyson said to her, opening the conversation.

She nodded. "Yeah," the teen replied, "And he's been having dreams, too. He said to me that the battle with the Dark Beybladers is getting closer, because he hears Black Dranzer in his sleep."

Tyson and Hilary nodded. It turned out that Kai had informed the team about his visions that morning. What he was seeing lately was definitely a sign that a third strike from the Dark Bladers could happen at anytime, anywhere. The team would be training at Tyson's house, and Vai promised to meet Tyson and Hilary there as soon as she was ready.

Eagerly, Vai quickly dressed into normal clothes after they had gone and wolfed down breakfast. She was ready in double-quick time - and was out of the hotel in five minutes flat. She pelted to the dojo. Arriving breathless at the door, the girl knocked loudly and was let in by Hilary.

In the small back garden, a fierce battle was already underway. Max and Ray battled it out in the Beystadium. Draciel T's Tsunami Strike drenched Ray's Driger T in water. But Ray wasn't as easily defeated as that; he called upon Driger's Special Attack, Thunderstrike Claw. With a deafening thunderclap, green forked lightning flashed into the attack, crackling fiercely as it struck its target twice in a row, sending Draciel hurtling from the arena. Vai watched in wonder at this, with Max's blade crash-landing to the ground at its owner's feet. Ray grinned. "Who said lightning can never strike twice?" he laughed. "Not me!"

"You said it!" Max agreed, laughing too. He collected up his Draciel Tsunami. Tyson went against him with Dragoon Typhoon, with Draciel winning one and Dragoon winning two out of the three battles. As he caught his spinning Beyblade, he looked at Vai - and saw Kai leaning against a pillar behind her as she sat on the veranda. She didn't seem to even realise that he was there. Tyson shook his head. Those two always sat close to each other, and neither of them had noticed this yet. When Vai sat next to Kai, Kai wouldn't even move away from her; he didn't seem to be aware of her presence, and it was the same when he was near her. It seemed that, even unintentionally, they were always together - they never, even for a second, sat apart or at a distance from one another.

Vai almost jumped out of her skin when Kai spoke to her. "You wanna battle me?" he asked her. She caught her breath.

"Kai, you scared me!" she gasped. It was unnerving sometimes, the way he seemed to silently appear out of the blue. And when he spoke to her unexpectedly like he had done then, it made her jump every time. "Yes, of course I'll battle you," the girl replied. She expected Kai to go to the Beystadium, but he didn't. Instead, he walked through the house, out of the door, and headed off in the direction of the park. Puzzled, Vai followed him.

They reached the small plain at the park and Kai faced her across this grassy terrain, launcher held out at the ready. This was where he wanted to battle; out there instead of in the confines of a Beystadium. He wasn't going to hold back. In this open space, his power could run free. Vai smiled, also holding out her launcher. If he wasn't going to hold back, then she wouldn't either. Besides, she had battled many times on open terrain in Moscow, in the tundra and the cold, stone city floor. She was used to it - and it filled her with excitement to think that she was going to do battle with Kai on a surface she was at home on. A gale whipped them as they faced each other, making the blue sheen to Vai's raven hair ripple and Kai's long white scarf stream out, its banner-like trailings floating on the stiff breeze. Their violet eyes were fixed on each other.

"LET IT RIP!" they cried. Their Beyblades, one a blur of dark blue, the other a whirling sapphire-blue, hurtled at each other. Sparks flew in all directions as they clashed, both immediately going on the offensive. The ringing of metal grinding against metal resounded in the park. Neither of them were backing down, battling with all their might. Although fighting in open space was easy for Vai, what happened next took Beyblading to the next level. Kai smirked faintly to himself. It was time to heat things up. "Dranzer, Tempest Wing!" he yelled. A fiery, blazing red phoenix rose up from his Beyblade. Its bright gold armour shone in the summer sunlight. The legendary creature suddenly burst into flame, every flap of its elegant wings sending out dazzling flashes of mystical, red-gold fire.

"Dranzer…" Vai breathed. This was the first time she had seen it, and it was amazing. Kai's Bit Beast took her breath away. The red phoenix vanished into a bolt of flame, shooting straight for her and her Beyblade. "Icefire!" Vai called. "Sapphire Blizzard Attack!" In a flash of blue flames, the blue phoenix emerged, chiming out its crystalline cry to the sky. Then, it too, became a bolt - a bolt of ice surrounded by blue fire. Both phoenix-shaped bolts of energy collided fiercely, sending out a brilliant flash of mystical white light, sparks flying. The impact shook the ground beneath the Beybladers.

The Bit Beasts broke apart, flying away from each other to linger front of their owners. Kai smirked slightly. "That all you got?" he challenged. A small smile crept across Vai's face. He hadn't seen anything yet. Her smile broadened.

"Just warming up," she announced, looking him straight in the eye.

"Good, 'causeI'm just getting started!" was his confident answer.

"Attack!" they shouted together. Dranzer and Icefire clashed again, the impact sending them spinning away from each other. Vai used her willpower to summon full power of her Special Attack, and Kai did the same.

"Sapphire Brilliant Blizzard!" Vai ordered her blue phoenix. Her long hair floated around her, her clothes flapped about a little, as if blown by an invisible breeze. Blue fire blazed around Icefire, shining sapphire-blue. Vai realised that the same fire surrounded herself. She _was_ the phoenix, she _was _the Beyblade! And she was the blue fire that burned around them. She flapped her wings, soaring high into the sky. The bond she shared with her Bit Beast was so strong now, that not only was she connected to Icefire by affinity of the mind, but also by emotion and spirit. The girl truly was one with her creature; as one mind, one heart, one body, one soul. Because of this, she was no longer conscious of where they were, what time it was, or even her own self. She felt disembodied, but soon felt whole again as she became used to being completely merged with Icefire.

All she was aware of, was the phoenix - her and it - soaring through ther air. The wind was cool on their wings, rustling the beautiful, sparkling sapphire feathers. Then, they attacked. Wings folded, they dived headfirst through the air, whirling around and around as a whirlwind of blue ice outlined by flames. Kai, one with Dranzer, also came in for the attack, as a blast of red flame - Tempest Tremedous Wing. This really was the next level of Beyblading - and it was Blading to the extreme. The blasts collided and then entwined, fire and ice tearing at each other.

On Vai's side, the weather had become bitterly cold - a chilling arctic wind whipped around snow as it fell. But on Kai's side, things had gone to the other extreme. The air was hazy with heat waves, and the ground was dry and scorching. Dust was blown about by a sudden squall, flying up thickly, almost like smoke.

The dramatic, constant changes in the weather confused the team as they trained, back at the dojo. One moment, the air felt like a furnace, the next it was so freezing that they almost frozen stiff. Tyson, pale, shivering with cold, supported Hilary, who was boiling hot and drenched in sweat, almost fainting with heat exhaustion. "W-what's goin' o-on?" he aked through chattering teeth.

"I…don't know…Tyson…" was Ray's weak reply. The Chinese teenager leaned feebly against the wall, black hair dark with sweat, plastered to his hot, red face and neck. He panted noticeably, breaths shallow and rasping. Max was no better. He lay shivering violently on the ground, face deathly pale as racking coughs shook his body. His breath wheezed in his chest. Kenny was slumped dazedly against the same wall as Ray, unconscious from heat exhaustion. Daichi lay close by, suffering from the cold. And even Tyson's grandfather, Mister Granger, had been affected. Like Ray, Kenny and Hilary, he too, was suffering from the desert-like heat.

As his legs threatened to give way beneath him, Tyson suddenly caught sight of two beams of energy - red and blue - swirling skywards, entwining as they did so. "It's…It's Dranzer and Icefire!" he gasped.

"What?" asked Hilary and Ray together. They followed his gaze and, sure enough, there were the two Bit Beasts, as a pair of mystical beams shooting upwards. "Kai and Vai must be battling!" Ray told his friends.

"And they're so powerful, their attacks are affecting the weather!" Max added. _That__'__s why it__'__s turning so hot and cold all the time, _Tyson realised. _I never knew Vai and Kai__'__s Bit Beasts had so much power__…_He glanced up again at the fighting creatures as they clashed in mid-air in the distance. His dark-brown eyes became filled with determination. "I'm gonna go an' watch 'em," he announced.

"No, Tyson!" Hilary protested in a weak croak. "You could get hurt - it's…it's…dangerous…you mustn't…" She swooned in his arms, unconscious. The heat had been too much for her.

As Tyson looked at her in shock, Daichi piped up, "She's r-right, T-Tyson. It's t-too dangerous…V-Vai an' K-Kai're at full power - remember when _you_ w-were against Kai…in the Finals…an' what what happened." He thought back to his battle against Kai in the World Championships and sighed. Hilary and Daichi did have a point. When he had battled Kai, they had both gone head-to-head and used their full power. The damage their power had caused had been devastating. The whole arena had ended up more or less in a pile of rubble, and the building the event was being held in had also been badly damaged. The dome-shaped roof had had a gaping hole, he recalled, from the Bit Beasts' lightning-fast ascent into the sky. And high above the city, Dragoon and Dranzer had clashed with all their power, rocking the whole earth beneath them. The very air had shaken with Dragoon's thunderous, full-throated roar and Dranzer's deafening, harsh screech as dragon and phoenix had battled it out.

_I'm still going to see the fight_, he thought, _No matter what the others say. _Concious of what Daichi had said about what had happened when he and Kai had battled, Tyson made his way to the park, after carefully laying the sleeping Hilary on to the ground by Ray and Kenny. As he ran to the battle, he was very aware of the constant, drastic shifts in the weather; sometimes the temperature would suddenly decrease, only to increase rapidly to a higher degree of heat than it had been before; and, instead of snowing lightly as it had been back at the dojo, when the temperature plummeted, he would find himself in a fierce, chilling blizzard, buffeted and almost thrown off his feet by huge, whirling arctic winds that seemed to chill to the bone and freeze his vey blood.

In the other extreme, he would face blistering, boiling heat, and scorching heat waves. The ground itself was sweltering, seeming to burn and seethe beneath his feet. The extremity of the weather and the temperature was unbelievable compared to the what he and the team had experienced back at the dojo, and there was no doubt that, judging by this, he was getting closer to where the two phoenixes were battling.

Back at the park, Vai found herself up in the air, floating next to her phoenix at it broke away from Dranzer. She was in her own body again, no longer spiritually merged with Icefire. But her mind and emotions were still one with Icefire's, therefore, she could still share its thoughts and feelings - and the bird could share hers. Kai faced her, Dranzer at his side. Like her, he still had fire outlining him as his Bit Beast did. Their creatures circled each other above as the Beyblades span around each other far below, on the hard ground of the playground, as they had moved from the small plain as the fight had raged on. Kai's long white scarf flowed with the light breeze that blew through the air; Vai's hair floated out, gleaming with a slight dark blue shine as it did so. The teenagers did not seem to notice or feel how extreme the weather had become. They were with their Bit Beasts, fighting, playing and battling with all their Beyblading passion, and nothing else mattered; they could let go of time, themselves, of reality itself. They focussed on nothing but the battle, their Bit Beasts and Beyblades, and each other.

Vai smiled. It was exhilarating, being one with a Bit Beast. It was just her and Icefire, working as a team to win. In Beyblading, you didn't need to use the same technique as everyone else, like in karate or any other sport or martial art, no; you could just be yourself - and that was all that was needed. Every Beyblader had their own unique Beyblade and battle style; no two blades were ever the same, because each person's customisation was different. Even Bit Beasts were always varied; they could be creatures of the world, or from legend of myth; they could even be creatures from the imagination. That was what Vai liked about Beyblade - everyone and everything was different, and evey person respected one another, whether they were friends, foes or neighbours. But they all had one thing in common: they Beybladed with passion, for fun; no matter who they were, they were always at their best and tried their best.

"You ready to finish this?" Kai asked, eyes filled with the determination to fight on. Vai's smile broadened, and her eyes lit up.

"You bet," she answered enthusiastically. "Let's go!" Kai nodded.

Letting out fierce cries at the effort, Kai and Vai used all their willpower to generate energy for their Bit Beats to clash in one, final attack. They summoned the creatures' Special Attacks. Sapphire Brilliant Blizzard and Tempest Tremendous Wing shot downwards as their phoenixes dropped through the sky as bolts of mystical energy.

Tyson arrived at the park, panting. He looked up and caught sight of Kai and Vai floating high in the sky, with the Bit Beasts and their Beyblades falling to the ground as energy beams. "Whoa…" he breathed. "How cool!" He watched the two diferent-coloured fires that surrounded them suddenly blaze, becoming intensely bright with dazzling sparks. Both of them yelled out, using all their energy to fuel the power of their Bit Beasts' attacks. The bolts of energy plummeting downwards grew suddenly blindingly bright. A brilliant flash dazzled Tyson as the attacks struck each other.

When he opened his eyes, Tyson was surprised to see that the Beyblades were on the ground - and still spinning. Dranzer and Icefire were at their owners' sides, looking weak and exhausted. Vai and Kai also were worn out, looking a little bruised and battered from the battle. "Man, I'm beat," Kai gasped. Vai gave him a tiny, weak smile.

"Me too," she agreed, breathlessly. She swayed dangerously in mid-air, eyes closing. Kai quickly asked her if she was alright. The girl jerked herself up straight again, and told him brightly that she was fine.

Meanwhile, the Bit Beasts began to act strangely. They locked talons, and started to spin over and over each other, plummeting through the air. Tyson watched this in wonder. Like giant, mating eagles, they became entwined; their necks, bodies and tails interwining tightly around each other, and they fell as one, changing into two beams of energy that spiralled in a crazy freefall through the sky, interlocked. The Beybladers, merged with their Bit Beasts again, found themselves dropping through the air at amazing speed. Both Kai and Vai were confused, their mixed feelings reflected by the phoenixes. Strange emotions had suddenly sprung up between them. Kai's heart was pounding; his chest was tight as he found himself looking through Icefire into Vai's eyes. And Vai was the same. Her face had turned a bright red - and her chest and heart ached with a strong, almost unbearable pain. She gazed into Kai's eyes, and was unable to tear her eyes away from him.

_What's going on? _she thought frantically. _This feeling's so strong…but what is it? My heart hurts so much…I don't understand! _She gasped. Her thought had somehow become aloud, for she had heard it as if she had voiced it. Kai had heard her thought.

_You okay? _he asked. Then, he heard his own thought. _Whoa! _he gasped. _We can hear what we__'__re thinking! But how? _

Vai was equally perplexed. _I don__'__t know_, she shrugged. _But what I don__'__t understand is, why do we feel this way - and are Icefire and Dranzer doing this? _

Kai shook his head, shrugging. He didn't have a clue. Both of them didn't understand what was going on - and it seemed that their Bit Beasts didn't know either. All they told that owners was that they had, for some unknown, strange reason, suddenly locked together instinctively, and concluded that it was probably due to instinct. But still, they couldn't be certain.

_Whatever's goin' on, we'll probably find out later, _Kai told Vai confidently.

_Yeah, _Vai nodded. _I hope so. _She sighed. _I feel so tired…that battle really took it out of me…_ She passed out, separating from Icefire.

Kai's gasp was full of fear. _Vai! _he cried, as she and Icefire fell, dropping limply through the air away from him and Dranzer. Beating his elegant scarlet wings furiously, Kai plummeted after them. _I__'__m coming! _In a whirl of red-gold feathers, he swooped down beneath them, and the girl and her ice-blue phoenix landed on his back. With them safely aboard, he flew slowly downwards, landing gently on the ground. Kai found himself back in his body again, holding the weak Vai in his arms. Dranzer and Icefire had returned to their Beyblades, which now lay on the ground beside his feet. He quickly scooped them up and pocketed them swiftly. Vai opened her eyes. "Kai, I'm so sorry…for worrying you…like that…" she croaked. She began to say something more, but Kai gently placed a forefinger to her lips.

"Don't talk," he said softly. "You're exhausted. Feel free to sleep…I've got you…"

With a long sigh, Vai closed her eyes and fell straight to sleep, laying her head on his muscular arm and snuggling up against his chest, breathing softly and deeply. Kai looked down at her proudly. "That was a good battle," he whispered. "Thank you, Vai…"

Tyson, along with Ray and Max, rushed over to Kai as he started to carry Vai away. "That was amazing, Kai!" Tyson gasped. "Man, what a battle - the weather went kinda berserk!" Kai blinked at him through his calm violet eyes.

"Really?" he asked in a calm voice, showing no outward emotion.

"Yep," Max replied. "It was really weird…one minute it was boiling hot, then freezing cold! Hilary fainted from heat exhaustion, and Tyson almost passed out 'cause of the cold."

It was then that Kai first noticed how extreme that battle had really been. Where he had been, he saw that the ground had become very dry, and was even cracked in places. The surface was dusty, uneven. He glanced at where Vai had been. It was slushy with melting ice and snow, flooded in water. Icicles hanging from the nearby metal swing bars dripped constantly as they melted.

Kai was amazed. He couldn't believe that Dranzer and Icefire had caused such extreme events like that to happen. They had grown so powerful that their very attacks affected the weather. He clutched the blades in his pocket and smirked slightly. It really had been a close battle. Because of Vai's exhaustion, it had ended a draw. In his eyes, he and Vai were both the winners of that battle.

The weather had returned to a normal, warm and sunny summer day and Tyson sighed with relief as he and his team-mates headed back to the dojo. He was glad that everything was back to normal - and so were his friends. A pale but relieved Hilary beside a groggy Kenny greeted them when they returned to Tyson's house. Mister Granger was also happy to see them, looking much better than he had been during the extreme weather spell. "Is she okay?" Hilary asked, glancing at the sleeping Vai in Kai's arms.

"Yeah," Kai nodded, "She's just exhausted." The brown-haired teen let out a sigh of relief, her ruby-red eyes becoming less concerned. She studied Kai and Vai briefly, looking at their multitudes of deep scratches.

"A bit of a rough time?"

Kai remained silent but nodded. He carried Vai into the house. He laid her on to a makeshift bed that Tyson's grandfather provided. The boy carefully tucked the bedcover around her sleeping form. He touched her hand gently. "Rest easy, Vai," Kai said softly. She smiled in her sleep, pressing her face into his hand as he stroked her cheek.

Kai himself felt weary from the battle. He sat against the wall beside Vai's bed and quickly slipped into a deep sleep.

Tyson entered the room. He saw Kai sat against the wall, head bowed. His eyes were closed and he breathed softly in deep, rhythmic breaths. His face looked calm as he slept, instead of serious and stern. His team-mate looked so peaceful that Tyson smiled. _He needs_ _it_, he thought. Then he glanced at Vai. She looked relaxed too, smiling in her sleep. Tyson's smile broadened. "Sleep well, guys," he whispered, before creeping out of the room and quietly sliding the wooden door shut behind him.


	5. Sudden Disappearance

**Chapter 5 - A Sudden Disappearance **

Later, Kai opened his eyes. He found that Hilary had entered the room and thought for a moment why he hadn't heard her come in. Then, he realised. _I must__'__ve been in a deep sleep_, he thought, _I was supposed to have a doze, not fall asleep completely. I guess I didn__'__t realise how tired I was__…_The teenager stood up slowly, feeling refreshed after his long sleep. Hilary smiled at him. "Had a good rest?" she asked.

Kai nodded, then glanced at Vai. She was still fast asleep. _She must be worn out_, he thought. He looked out of the window to see that it was early afternoon - and it had been early morning when he had been awake. _I've been asleep quite a long time_, the boy thought.

As Kai walked out into the small front garden, Tyson grinned, "Well, look who's finally woken up!" Kai glared at his team-mate coldly for a moment, before turning his back on him and walking out of the garden. He strode down the pavement, heading to Central Park. He wanted to be by himself and that was where he usually went to be alone in his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Vai stirred in her bed, her eyes flickering open. "Where…am I?" she asked aloud.

"At Tyson's house," came the answer. She looked around to see Hilary sitting beside her bed, beaming at her. "I'm glad you're awake. How are you feeling?" the brown-haired girl asked.

"Great - I think that long sleep did me good," Vai replied cheerfully. Hilary's smile broadened. It was good to see that her friend was okay again. She stood up, holding out her hand. Vai took it and Hilary pulled her to her feet. Stretching, Vai smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Hilary." Together, the two girls walked out into the front garden. Tyson, Ray, Max, Kenny and Daichi greeted them with friendly waves and calls.

"Hi, guys!" Vai and Hilary laughed.

Then Vai frowned. Someone was missing. _Kai! _she realised. _He isn__'__t here - where has he got to?_

"Where's Kai?" she voiced her thought.

Tyson shrugged. "I think he went to the park," he answered. "He just gave me a death glare and took off." Vai shook her head. _Typical Kai_, she thought. _I__'__ll have to go and see him myself. _With that, she strode out of the garden, walked along the pavement, heading off in the direction of the park and leaving the team staring after her in surprise.

Kai stood atop one of the grass slopes in the park, his long white scarf lifting slightly with the warm, light breeze. A piece of long green grass protruded from his mouth. He chewed it absently as he stared out into the distance, lost in thought. His violet eyes were dour and his face was very grave. He sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

Vai saw him and walked over to him, climbing up the grass slope. "Kai, what're - " she stopped abruptly as she saw his dour expression. She stood beside him, concerned. "What's the matter, Kai? Why are you sad?" Kai turned away from her, remaining silent. "Kai, what's wrong?" Vai asked anxiously. He whipped around to face her.

"There's nothing wrong!" he snapped coldly. "And anyway, I came out here to be _alone_, Vai!" His fierce words silenced her and stung her badly. Vai backed away from him, her pained violet eyes filling with tears.

"I…I only wanted to help you…I thought - forget it…what's the point?" her voice shook, nearly a sob. "You won't listen!" She turned and ran, pelting into the playground, disappearing from view. Kai grunted and turned his back on her.

He stood there for a few minutes, before what he had done sank in. He sighed. The pain in her eyes…her hurt voice…he had cut deeply into her feelings just by taking out his anger on her. It was his fault. She had only come to see what was wrong. And she had somehow known how he was feeling because she had asked why he looked so down; and at that moment, he _had _been feeling sad. _She knows me well_, Kai thought, and sighed again. _I__'__ll have to go and apologise_… He walked into the playground, looking around for her. Vai didn't seem to be anywhere here…not on the swings, or slides…or sitting on the benches…where was she? Then a quiet sound reached his ears. Sobbing, crying. Vai. He followed the sound, which led him to some thick-leaved bushes behind the benches in the playground. He silently parted the shrubbery. There she was, in the midst of the shrubbery, sitting on some grass, her face buried in her hands. Her body shook with huge sobs as she cried.

Kai placed a hand on her shoulder, kneeling down beside her. "Hey. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to upset you," he told her quietly. Vai looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Do you mean it?" she asked timidly. He nodded. He carefully brushed the tears from her eyes and smoothed them from her cheeks. His touch was gentle, soothing. She managed a small watery smile. He stood up.

"Let's go," Kai said to her, holding out his hand. Vai clasped it, and he pulled her to her feet. They walked to the grass slope again. "You're right," Kai told Vai calmly. "I am sad."

"But why?" Vai asked. "What's the matter?"

He sighed deeply. "I was thinking back to when I first went to live with my grandfather. As soon as I got to Hiwatari Mansion, he told me something I would never forget." The sixteen-year-old fell into a heart-broken silence. Vai became worried.

"What did he say?" she asked in a small voice. Kai closed his eyes, turning away from her. He didn't want her to see how much pain it caused him to recall the memory.

"He told me…that…my parents were dead," he replied in a voice that was almost a whisper. "They died while I was at your house in Moscow…they had gone out somewhere…and never returned. No one knows, not even my grandfather, how they died…"

"So that's why Voltaire took you away like that," Vai whispered. "And you don't have any memories of your parents?"

Kai shook his head wordlessly, turning back to face her, eyes closed. Tears welled in Vai's violet eyes. She really felt for him.

"Oh, Kai…how horrible…" she gasped. Her tears slid down her face. He heard her pained voice and opened his eyes, seeing the tears as they fell from her cheeks.

"Hey…it's okay," he said softly. "I'm the one who should be down. Thank you for worrying about me, Vai. You're a good friend."

Vai wiped her tears away and smiled. "Thanks Kai. That means a lot to me."

That night, Vai lay awake, thinking about Kai. Memories of him flashed through her mind. Kai's soft voice speaking to her that previous day, comforting her distress about his past…Kai embracing her after her nightmare…Kai protecting her from the rockslide at the beach…Kai looking into her eyes as the Bit Beasts had unified, causing her and him to feel strong, strange feelings… _Kai, _she thought, _What does he mean to me? Yeah, he__'__s a good friend to me - but is that all? No; it__'__s much more than that__…_The strong feeling she had felt during the Bit Beasts' unification came back, her heart ached unbearably, and her face flushed a deep red. _This feeling I have for him__…__what is it? It__'__s stronger than friendship, stronger than the crush I had on him as a child; it__'__s so strong__…_She gasped as she realised what it was. _It__'__s passion_, the girl thought, _and it__'__s passion for Kai. I finally know how I feel! Now that I__'__m sure about my feelings for him, I__'__ll tell him as soon as possible - but we need to be alone; just him and me. _Happy at last, Vai fell asleep - and slept easier than she had done in a long time.

The next morning, the team became engrossed into heavy-duty training routines. Vai and Icefire laboured constantly, working non-stop in training battles and techniques. They had a well-deserved break in the afternoon, and Vai managed to get Kai alone in the playground - so she took the chance to reveal her feelings. As they sat on some nearby swings, Vai's face flushed a bright red. Kai noticed this straightaway. He asked her calmly if she was alright. She nodded, her blush deepening. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. It was time to tell him.

"Kai?" Vai began. Kai looked at her intently, violet eyes calm as he gazed at her.

"Yeah?" he responded.

"I just want to say that I…I…I love - " her words were lost in a shout that resounded in the park. She and Kai sprang off their swings at the sound. "It's Tyson…" Vai told Kai. "Someone must be in trouble!" Tyson raced into view, sliding one of the grass slopes and skidding to a halt in front of her and Kai.

"It's Kenny," he panted. "He's gone! We think the Dark Bladers have taken him!" Vai's face become shocked. Even Kai looked unsettled, his eyes narrowing and his face becoming grim.

"Let's go," Vai said urgently. "We've got to find those creeps and get our friend back!" With that, the three teenagers sped out of the park.

They returned to Tyson's house to meet Ray, followed by the other flustered members of the team, in the front garden as they rushed out of the dojo. "What's up, Ray?" Tyson asked his Chinese friend.

"The Dark Beybladers - they've taken Kenny to the beach - Max saw them as he walked to your house from the hobby shop!" the black-haired boy replied breathlessly.

Tyson rolled his shoulders determinedly and clenched his fists. "Alright - let's go!"

The team ran to the beach at full-pelt. A cloaked figure stood waiting for them as they skidded to a halt on the soft, golden sand. The person remained silent, but thrust out a launcher and Beyblade. Tyson quickly rose to the challenge, taking out Dragoon Typhoon and attaching it to its launcher, ripcord inserted. "If a battle's what they want, they've got one!" he announced challengingly. The rest of the Dark Beybladers appeared some distance behind the member Tyson faced, who seemed to be the leader.

"Look - they've got Kenny!" Hilary cried. The others followed her gaze and sure enough, there was the Chief, bound with ropes and being held roughly by his captors.

"If Tyson wins this battle, we'll get Kenny back," Max told Hilary, who looked very worried. Tyson and his opponent launched their Beyblades. The blades careered into each other with such tremendous force that shock waves shook the beach, pulsing through the air. Vai and the team were almost thrown off their feet by the sheer force of the waves. Another fierce collision sent more shock waves pulsating from the Beyblades. Special Attacks were released, hurtling into each other with incredible power that sent both blades spinning back to their owners' feet with the impact. Dust and sand flew everywhere.

Tyson wasted no time in his unleashing his Bit Beast. The tall, muscular blue dragon threw up its armoured wedge-shaped head and uttered a full-throated, thunderous roar. This was the first time Vai had ever seen Dragoon - and the powerful presence that it had was enough to tell her that it was a mighty creature. The other Beyblader's Bit Beast, an ugly, nasty-looking werewolf with piercing yellow eyes - sent chills down Vai's spine when it howled out a shrill, agonised cry that was almost a shriek. Tyson plunged himself into the sea, water lapping at his feet as he stood in the shallows. Dragoon followed him, and stood high above him in the sky, over the sea. The opponent followed suit. "It looks like they're gonna battle it out in the sea," Ray observed. "This looks ugly. Something tells me we'd better get to high ground, 'cause the water is about to get quite rough!" The others nodded in agreement. With that, they all dashed for the cliffs, just as the Bit Beast battle began.

Huge waves pounded the shore as Dragoon and the werewolf clashed. "Dragoon, Typhoon Twister Attack!" Tyson ordered his dragon. The mighty blue Bit Beast dived into the sea, only to reappear as a giant, swirling mass of water, surging upwards and striking the opponent from beneath. The surprised werewolf was blasted by the full force of Dragoon's typhoon and plunged into the water, sinking like an anvil. But it wasn't over yet.

The creature soon resurfaced - with a vengence. It lunged out of the water, attacking Dragoon with its Special Attack, Poison Claw. Pure venom seared the dragon's neck with its acidity as it was injected into the creature. Dragoon let out a deafening roar of pain, before collapsing into the water, smashing against the cliff the team stood on.

The cliff was racked violently by Dragoon's great impact against it. The excessive shaking off the rock made Vai lose her balance. She screamed as she fell over the edge, the roaring of the turbulent sea below becoming suddenly louder. "Gotcha!" a gloved hand grabbed her wrist and stopped her from falling. As she dangled over the edge of the cliff, Vai looked up to see who had saved her. "K-Kai!" she cried in a voice on the verge of tears. "D-Don't let go, _please_!" His grip tightened.

"I won't," he assured her.

Cautiously, Vai stole a glance at the sea far below and quickly snatched her gaze away again as she saw the dizzying drop.

His hold of her solid and firm, Kai pulled with all his strength, grunting with the effort. "Hang on!"

Slowly, Vai was lifted away from the drop and pulled back over the edge. Exhausted, she and Kai collapsed into a panting heap. The narrow escape with the cliff had been too much for Vai and she burst into tears. Like he had done on the night she'd had the nasty premonition, Kai folded his arms around her and embraced her comfortingly. Vai nestled her face into his shoulder and cried uncontrollably, tears soaking him. "I was so scared," she sobbed, "Kai, I thought, I thought -" she broke off as a huge sob overwhelmed her.

Kai held her tightly. "But it's okay now," he comforted. "You're safe."

"Thanks to you," Vai whispered. Huge waves rose up and lashed the cliff, and Kai held her close to him, protecting her from the flying spray. The others huddled together, shielding one another from the cruel sea. Above the violent waters, the Bit Beasts battled aggressively, shock waves pulsing through the air each time they clashed. As beams of energy, they shot upwards, lighting up the bleak, dreary sky. There was a brilliant flash that lit up the whole area as the mystical beams collided, sending out sparks. Their energy spent, the Bit Beasts vanished back into their Beyblades, which plummeted through the air. They landed heavily on the sand, dust flying up.

The smoke cleared to reveal Dragoon wobbling uncontrollably beside the other Beyblade, which was driven tightly into the ground. Tyson had won! Breathing in fast breaths, Tyson collected up Dragoon. Vai and the others ran down the cliff path and across the beach to congratulate him. "That was sweet, Tyson!" Max laughed. "You really whipped him, dude!"

The others were happy about his victory, but Ray seemed suspicious. His bright catlike eyes were narrowed and he looked serious, thoughtful.

"That seemed too easy to me," he remarked. "I think they took Kenny as bait to lure us here - then used the battle as a diversion to get something else, something more important…"

Kenny, who stood beside Tyson, agreed. "I think Ray may be on to something, guys," he nodded. Vai looked around. There was no one here except them. She sighed. It looked like the gang of cloaked Bladers had escaped again. Then, she saw something that made her heart miss a beat. It wasn't…it couldn't be…but it was. Dranzer lay half-buried in the sand a few metres away from her. Tears welling in her eyes, Vai slowly picked up the dark blue Beyblade, clutching it close to her chest. Her voice hardly more than a whisper, she said quietly, "I think they got what they wanted…Kai's gone."

"What?" exclaimed Tyson and Hilary together. It was true. Kai was nowhere to be seen. While they looked around in disbelief, Vai buried her face in her hands.

"I can't believe he's lost to me again," she whispered, her tears streaming through her fingers to splash the dry sand. "And I didn't even get the chance to tell him that I love him. It was just…so sudden." A silent sob overwhelmed her as she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. "It hurts…" the teen winced, more tears dripping on to the sand. "It hurts so much!"

"Kai!" she let out a cry of despair in Russian. "Where are you?" As the team looked at her sadly, Vai sank to her knees in the sand, sobbing even harder into her hands. This had been the Dark Beybladers' third strike - and she had lost. But she had lost more than just the fight. She had lost Kai.


	6. One Love

**Chapter Six - One Love**

Vai lay awake in her hotel room. She couldn't stop thinking of the terrible events that had occurred that day. Kenny's kidnap…the battle between Tyson and the Dark Beybladers' leader…Dragoon's impact upon the cliff, sending her flying over the edge…Kai's sudden disappearance… Just thinking of Kai made her heart clench with despair. The thought of going to Tyson's house in the morning knowing he wouldn't be there was almost too much to bear. The night was lonely without the comfort of the knowledge that he would be there if she needed him. _But I__'__ll hold on, _she thought. _Kai__'__s probably feeling the same way - and I can__'__t let him down by not believing if he__'__s believing. Just hang on, Kai - we__'__ll be there and rescue you soon! _Feeling a little positive again, Vai fell asleep at last.

To Vai's disappointment, there were no signs of the shady Dark Beybladers for the rest of the week. It seemed that they and Kai had completely disappeared from the city. They were nowhere to be seen. This dampened Vai's spirits, but didn't destroy them. She hung on to believing that Kai would come back - somehow or someday. Without him, she couldn't seem to sleep properly, or even do _anything _properly. He had been her inspiration, her motivation. Without him, nothing seemed to appeal to her anymore; not even Beyblading.

The team knew how depressed she was and that her heart grew heavier day by day. Sometimes, they would hear her crying in her sleep at night, or calling Kai's name in her dreams. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't take the pain she was suffering away. Kai - and only Kai - would be able to soothe the distress from her wounded heart, heal her soul and make her happy again.

Vai sat apart from her friends as they trained, staring listlessly in to space. The longer Kai wasn't with her, the more quiet she became. Tyson glanced at her sadly and sighed. _Poor Vai_, he thought, _she misses Kai so much__…__she__'__s lookin__'__ really pale, even ill__…__it__'__s like, without him, she can__'__t go on__…__her eyes are so lifeless__…_Vai felt his gaze, but did not have the spirits to look at him and smile. She sighed miserably.

She had shed so many tears now, that she could shed no more. Day by day, she had gotten more heart-broken. _I don't know how to live without you, Kai,_ Vai thought. _You're the only one in my heart…and now you've gone…there's nothing to hope for, to even live for…Only when you come back, I'll be whole again. _She clutched her locket, and the Dranzer blade in her pocket. _Wherever you are, please come back_, she said silently. _Come back to me; I need you so much…I want to hear your voice, feel you near me…I miss you with all my heart, Kai! _

Vai had almost given up hope when something happened to lift her spirits. Daichi, followed by Max, rushed into the garden, gasping for breath. "It's…It's the Dark…Bladers," panted Daichi. All the team turned to face him and Max.

"They're…in the park," added Max. Vai's eyes lit up for the first time in days. That meant Kai would be there!

"They want to battle us," Daichi explained quickly. "We need to go now, guys!" Tyson nodded curtly, and then he, Vai and the others followed Daichi and Max to the park at full-pelt. The sky grew dark with storm clouds as they rushed to the park. They arrived breathless at the playground, eyes darting around warily for the mysterious gang. Rain fell from the bleak clouds, soaking them through. Water ran in cold streams down the back of Vai's neck. She winced at the chill. A heavy, menacing silence hung in the air, coupled with the overwhelming sense of foreboding. They stood in silence, straining their ears for the slightest sound, anything that would signal the Dark Beybladers' presence. For a moment, there was complete silence; with nothing but the quiet pattering of the rain as it fell. And then, the dark gang appeared, materialising out of the darkness itself. Their eyes glowed with evil auras that pierced the dreary, dark day. Vai's heart sank as she saw that there was no sign of Kai. It was then she noticed that there was an extra cloaked member of the group. Her eyes found the cold, mauve aura among the other auras. Her heart leaped. It was Kai. It had to be.

And she was right. The hooded, cloaked figure with the mauve aura stepped out of the group as they faced the Bladebreakers. The person slowly drew back their hood, and sure enough, Kai's face was revealed. Everyone gasped in shock except Vai. "He's one of us, now," sneered one of the members of the dark gang. "And there's no way that he'll join your pathetic team again!"

Tyson was furious. "You're lying!" he snapped. "Kai would never join you - he's only a member 'cause you forced him!"

Another of the cloaked figures smirked coldly. "Oh, is that so?" he replied with a small, nasty laugh. "We'll see about that. Kai, do you ever want to return to these lowdown amateurs?"

Tyson's eyes widened as Kai shook his head. "No," he answered in an icy voice. "Never." Tears filled Vai's eyes. _Kai, what have they done to you? _she thought. It broke her heart to see him like this.

Tyson, breathing fast, backed away from Kai. "No," he gasped. "It can't be…"

Vai looked at him, sighing sadly. "I'm afraid it is, Tyson," she told him. "Kai's on their side now. But I'm sure there's still some good in him - if we somehow make it come through, he'll realise what's going on and break free of whatever's controlling him." Tyson felt a ray of hope at her words. She _did _have a good idea. It was worth a try.

Kai took out his launcher, thrusting it out in front of him. He attached a Beyblade darker than night itself to the launcher. Just looking at the blade made shivers trickle down Vai's spine. There was something mysterious about it, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Her Beyblade pulsed as Tyson faced Kai and prepared for battle. Vai clutched Icefire, which was deep in her yellow coat pocket. She knew what to do. It was time. "Tyson - listen!" she called. "I've got to fight him. Dragoon will be lost to you forever if you do battle with Kai - and the same goes for the other Bit Beasts in the team except mine." Tyson stopped loading Dragoon on to its launcher. Vai walked past him and faced Kai. "Trust me," she whispered to Tyson. "My Bit Beast told me that I have a chance, more than anyone else, of saving Kai - and I have to go with that, because I trust Icefire with my life. I don't know how I'll save Kai, but if you and the team believe in me, I'm sure I'll be alright." Her friend looked at her intently, and nodded.

Vai whipped out her own launcher, loading her sapphire-blue Beyblade on it and inserting the ripcord. "I'm ready for you, Kai," she announced calmly, meeting his soulless eyes with their chilling, penetrating gaze steadily. Thunder rumbled overhead as their Beyblades flew at each other over the smooth terrain of the playground. The rain became heavy, pelting them. Icefire and the black Beyblade clashed, sparks flying. Shock waves pulsed from Kai's Beyblade, throwing Vai's blade off balance, sending it skittering away across the ground. Breathing fast, Vai came in for the attack again. Her blue Beyblade shot into its opponent, colliding with it fiercely. The other blade wasn't even fazed by the assault. Vai was shocked. It was more powerful than she had thought. Then, she clenched her fists. It was time to get on to _real _fighting.

"Icefire!" she called. Her beautiful, sapphire phoenix appeared out of its Beyblade at her bidding, chiming its crystalline call.

"Black Dranzer!" Kai yelled, his voice ringing out cold and chilling. The sound of the name made Vai shiver inwardly. As her eyes widened, the team gasped out loud in fear. The malevolent black phoenix sprang forth, shrieking out its cold, piercing screech that made the team and Vai cringe in fear. The phoenixes clashed, blue fire and black fire tearing at each other. With each collision, shock waves pulsed from Black Dranzer, throwing Icefire backwards, battering it with the sheer force of them. Due to this, Vai and her Bit Beast became weaker and more drained after every clash with the evil mystical bird.

Although she was weak, Vai would not give in. She summoned every ounce of willpower she could, and fought with all her might, despite the fact that every strike on Black Dranzer sapped her energy. Her breath came in rasps, sweat soaked her from head to toe. Her body was battered and bruised, throbbing each time she moved. The team watched her, anxious as the phoenixes circled each other. "I don't think Vai can go on much longer," Kenny told Tyson. "Icefire's weak, too. It seems that every strike they make drains them - and has no effect on Black Dranzer! And it and Kai get more powerful with every attempt they do to attack!"

Icefire and Black Dranzer clashed again. Vai and her phoenix were sent flying backwards as shock waves threw them off their feet. Vai slammed hard against a nearby tree - and slumped limply to the wet, sodden ground. The rain, now falling in icy sheets, was lit up by the lightning as it flashed blindingly across the black sky. "Vai!" yelled Tyson, Hilary and Kenny simultaneously. Icefire lay dazed on the ground centimetres away, like its mistress.

Slowly, Vai opened her eyes. The team were both amazed and relieved that she still had the strength to continue. "She must be physically and mentally exhausted…but she's still going to fight on…" Hilary breathed. "It's her determination to save Kai that's giving her the strength!" Her friends nodded, agreeing. If it hadn't been for this, she would have given out a long time ago. Icefire became air bourne again as Vai stood up, trembling from head to toe with exhaustion. The evil Kai was shocked.

"I…won't let it…be this way," she croaked. "It was never like this between us, Kai. It would…go against your…very soul to hurt me…and you know it."

"You should've lost ages ago!" the evil Kai snapped back coldly. "Why won't you give up, you -"

"Because…there's still good…in you, Kai," Vai cut in weakly. "Don't listen…to Black Dranzer…" Tears gleamed in her eyes. "Listen…to your heart, Kai! Listen to your heart!" Suddenly, some life flickered in Kai's soulless eyes, like a flame trying to light up the darkness. But that light soon died away as the evil took over once more.

Life flickered in his eyes again, and he walked slowly, hesitantly toward Vai, a gloved hand reaching out to her. She understood what was going on. His heart and soul were fighting Black Dranzer, fighting back. _He__'__s reaching out to me because he needs my help_, Vai realised. _He can__'__t win this alone! _She ran over to him, taking hold of his outstretched hand. She stood in front of him, holding his hand as Kai's conflict with Black Dranzer continued.

Black Dranzer, furious that Kai was defying it, let out a screech of rage. Kai placed a hand to his head, face contorted as he grimaced at the throb of pain that occurred at the bird's cry. The phoenix screamed again, and he groaned, falling to his knees. _Hang in there, Kai_, Vai thought, squeezing his hand, tears in her eyes. _You can do it! _Some of the life that shone in Kai's eyes died out as Black Dranzer let out yet another shrieking call, and Kai almost passed out with the pain in his head. Seeing him suffering like this was too much for Vai. She knew how to end his pain now - and she was going to do it even with everyone watching. The girl let go of his hand, and clung to him, looking up into his eyes as more life drained from them. He was losing!

Slowly, she moved her face closer to his. Closing her eyes, she touched her lips to his - and kissed him with all the passion she had for him, clinging to him tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

The team were surprised as they watched her kissing him. "Vai…" Tyson breathed. Hilary smiled a watery smile, dashing tears of joy from her eyes.

Daichi, who stood behind them, jumped up and down as he strained to see what was going on. "I can't see!" he moaned.

Tyson looked at him and shook his head. "This is not for little kids to see, Daichi." Daichi was cross at being called a little kid and shoved past him. As soon as he saw what was happening, he blushed as red as his hair. Tyson shrugged, muttering, "I told you so!"

Black Dranzer shrieked with fury as Vai kissed Kai. But this time, its call caused Kai no pain at all. The life slowly returned to his eyes. As this happened, he became aware of someone's lips against his. It was Vai. She was…kissing him. His eyes closed, he responded to her kiss, returning the touch she gave him. He put his arms around her, holding her closely and tightly as she clung to him. As they stood there, kissing, Black Dranzer began to lose power. The Bit Beast slowly faded, until it disappeared, returning to its Beyblade. The Beyblade stopped spinning. Icefire was wobbling, the Bit Beast having withdrawn back into its Bit Chip. Vai had won! And she had saved Kai.

Vai realised that Kai was kissing her back, and her heart leaped for joy. He was okay again. Their lips loosened, and they stopped kissing. Vai looked into Kai'eyes. "You're alright again, aren't you, Kai?" she asked quietly. He nodded. "Kai," the girl whispered, "I…I…I love you. I've been trying to tell you for such a long time…" She trailed off. Kai held her close again, tightly.

"Oh, Vai…" he whispered, nestling his face into her silky raven hair. She felt herself turning hot and cold. Never before had she been so embraced and caressed. This was Kai - in all his passion, saying he loved her back. All the distress she had suffered for the days he had been gone was taken away as he hugged her.

Exhaustion swept over Vai. Kai, as if sensing her weariness, told her softly, "You can rest now. It's over. If you get on my back, I'll carry you." He slowly let go of her and turned so his back was facing her. Using the last bit of her strength, she climbed on to his back. He supported her, arms fierce in their hold. His presence was soothing, and she relaxed.

Meanwhile, the Dark Beybladers had vanished once more, taking Black Dranzer with them. They would be back for revenge - and something told Vai that the battle they would have against them could be their last. But one love had defeated the dark gang and Black Dranzer. And that one love had been between her and Kai Hiwatari.


	7. Touch And Go

**Chapter Seven - Touch And Go **

Hilary scooped up Vai's Beyblade while the team made sure Vai was okay as she was piggy-backed by Kai. This done, the soaked-through teenagers made their way back to the dojo. The rain had lessened to light, cool droplets, and the sky seemed a little brighter. The storm was over. There was no more thunder and lightning. Vai shivered with cold, and her battered body throbbed constantly as Kai carried her. To her, it seemed ages before they reached Tyson's house, although it was only a five minute walk to get there.

By the time they had got inside, Vai had become very pale and shivered violently. Kai lay her down gently in to a makeshift bed Tyson's grandfather provided for her. He and the old man covered her with two thick blankets as she coughed and racking shivers overwhelmed her. Kai knelt down beside her, placing a hand to her forehead. She felt hot - he felt sweat breaking out on her forehead - she had a fever. "She's burning up," he told Tyson's grandfather. "She needs a doctor." The old man nodded curtly, rushing to contact the hospital. While he did that, Kai laid a cold cloth over her sweat-soaked forehead. Vai, now unconscious, moved about restlessly in bed, coughing violently.

The ambulance skidded to a halt outside the house minutes later. Vai was rushed to the hospital, and Kai was with her all the way. Soon, he sat beside her screened hospital bed, which stood in the centre of a white room. An oxygen mask covered her mouth, and the nasty scratches on her face and neck were plastered. Her chest was swathed in bandages and her ripped t-shirt had been removed. Her yellow coat hung on the back of Kai's chair. Vai slept quite peacefully now, no longer thrashing about restlessly as she had done back at the dojo. Her breathing was normal and wasn't shallow anymore. Kai sighed, lightly touching her bandaged upper arm, which had been bruised badly in the battle against Black Dranzer. He closed his eyes. _This is all my fault_, he thought. _I did this to her, with Black Dranzer. And it__'__s because of me that she__'__s sick and got a fever__…__and she__'__s badly hurt, too__…__which makes it worse for her. Oh, Vai__…__I__'__m so sorry. My poor Vai__…_He brushed tears from his eyes as he opened them.

_Don__'__t be too hard on yourself, Kai_, a melodic voice trilled in his head. Kai recognised his Bit Beast's presence in his mind at once.

_Dranzer? _he asked. _Where are you? _

_In Vai's coat pocket_, came the answer. Kai took his Beyblade out of the yellow coat's pocket, smiling slightly. He looked at the dark blue blade intently. He sighed.

_Maybe you__'__re right_, he told Dranzer. _Black Dranzer_ was _controlling me after all, and it was its fault that Vai was hurt__…__But I still can__'__t stop remembering how much pain I caused her__…_

Dranzer's voice was sympathetic. _Don't worry, Kai_, it replied understandingly. _She's okay now - and you're with her - and that's the main thing. I know she's very sick, but you're just the person to help her feel better. She needs you, Kai. Your love is like oxygen - and she needs it a lot right now. The more love you give her, the more happier she will feel. _

Kai nodded - his Bit Beast was right. _Thanks, Dranzer_, he said gratefully. While Vai slept on, he gently caressed her hair. _Sleep well_, Kai thought as he looked at her pale but peaceful face. She rested undisturbed, save for a short bout of coughing that sometimes occurred. Her fever had gone down, to Kai's relief. As she breathed softly and deeply while she slept, he contacted the team, and told them that she was going to be okay. "Hilary and I will tell her parents," Tyson replied. "Thanks, Kai. The team and I might come see her later on. Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah," Kai answered calmly.

"Great. Later!" his team-mate responded, before hanging up. Quickly, Kai replaced the receiver and returned to Vai's bedside. Vai's eyes flickered open and she stirred to sit up. She blinked at him through her sleepy violet eyes. "Kai?" she whispered.

"I'm glad you're awake, Vai," he told her quietly. "How are you feeling?"

Vai managed a small, weak smile. "A little better, thanks to you,"she replied hoarsely. "I don't feel hot anymore - and I can breathe easily now."

"Good," Kai nodded. "The doctor said you're gonna be just fine. You caught a bad cold from the rain, which was why you were shivering so much. Your fever's gone down, so you're already getting better." Vai nodded, listening to his words intently. He looked at her seriously. "You need to get lots of rest before you're okay to go back to the dojo again," he told her. "You'll need to take it easy for a while, Vai. That battle sure took it outta you. The doctor said you can go home in a couple of days, okay?"

Vai's small smile broadened slightly. "Okay, Kai."

Her friend took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'll be with you everyday," he reassured her softly. "I'm not goin' anywhere. Not 'til you're okay again."

Vai laughed quietly. "I love you Kai," she whispered. Kai smiled slightly at her, squeezing her hand again.

"I know. I love you, too."

With a long sigh, Vai closed her eyes and fell back to sleep, her hand becoming limp in Kai's hold. Silently, Kai stood up from his chair and leaned over her sleeping form to brush her cheek lightly with a kiss. "Rest easy, Vai," he whispered.

Later, there was a short, soft knock at the door. Kai stood up and answered it. Standing outside were Tyson, Kenny, Hilary, Daichi, Max and Ray. "How is she?" Tyson asked as Kai let him and the team in.

"Her fever's gone down, and she breathes normally now," his team-mate replied seriously. He sighed, closing his eyes. "But Vai's still very sick." He sat back down in his chair. Tyson looked at him anxiously. When Kai was as serious as this, it was a sign that he was worried, which meant that something was very wrong.

"Kai, what's the matter?" Tyson quizzed him. Kai opened his eyes and fixed him with an utterly serious, unwavering gaze.

"It's not the cold or the fever I'm worried about," he told Tyson. "It's her physical and mental strength that's the problem. That battle really exhausted her because she used all her energy and willpower - and she did it for me…Her injuries and sickness have taken away whatever strength she had left. That's what I'm worried about. Her mental and physical strength were seriously injured in that battle - leaving her very weak…and there is a possibility that her strength, because of this, might never return."

Tyson's eyes widened. "So you're saying that she might never recover from the battle? That she'll always be weak?"

Closing his eyes again, Kai nodded silently. Hilary, who had listened to the conversation, bit her lip worriedly. _Not good_, she thought, _this is not good at all__…__if Vai__'__s strength doesn__'__t come back, she won__'__t be able to Beyblade anymore, not to mention that she__'__ll find it hard in physical activities at school. But, also, lack of physical and mental strength can be life-threatening__…__if she gets a serious illness and can__'__t recover__…_She left her thoughts hanging, not wanting to think about it any further.

But it was no wonder Kai was anxious. He knew how serious it would be if Vai didn't completely recover from her battle. He took the sleeping girl's hand and squeezed it lovingly. _We__'__ll just have to believe in her_, he decided. _Believe that she__'__ll make a complete recovery__…__hang in there, Vai. I couldn__'__t bear to lose you__…__not now that we love each other__…__I__'__ll never let you go__…__never__…_

They watched Kai and Vai in grim silence after hearing the conversation between Kai and Tyson. Each member of the team was desperately anxious for Kai and Vai. If one of them was lost forever, then they would both be. If Vai was lost to Kai, because she didn't recover, Kai would be heartbroken - and so would remain that way always; the calm, quiet but serious Kai they knew would vanish forever. Ray broke the silence.

"We'll have to believe in her," he announced. "There's no other way." His friends nodded, agreeing profoundly. Kai remained silent, but nodded curtly. Tyson, in spite of the seriousness of the situation, smiled. Ray was right. If they were positive that she would recover, then it would happen - she would be okay again. He looked hard at the sleeping Vai as Kai held her hand. _C__'__mon, Vai_, he thought, _You can do it! We__'__re here for you - and will be all the way. _

A while later, Vai's parents entered the room. Kai told them calmly that their daughter would be able to go home in a few days. They were pleased to hear this, and relieved that it was nothing serious. They thanked him gratefully. "Long time, no see, Kai," Vai's mother smiled at him. "You've certainly grown! It's so good to hear that you and Vai are still friends after all this time." She looked at him intently. "Take care of her, Kai Hiwatari,"she told him in a whisper that he only heard, eyes filling with tears.

"I will," Kai answered seriously. "I promise." With that, Vai's mum and dad left the room, after saying quick farewells to the team. Kai looked at Vai again as she slept. _I believe in you, Vai_, he thought fiercely. _I believe in you with all my heart. _

Over the following few days, Vai mainly slept in bed without waking to talk to anyone, except for Kai and eating food. Her sickness lessened every day. Her fever had gone completely, and she coughed often, but less violently. She had no breathing problems, either. Her voice, although still a croak, was a little clearer. She was still very weak - and needed help if she wanted to sit up in bed. Her wounds from the battle were healing fast, so she wasn't in much pain anymore. All this was good news to Kai. She was getting better in terms of how sick she was, but still worried him was her strength. It had not improved, so she remained very weak, and was easily tired out.

One day, Vai noticed how worried he was and asked him if he was alright. Kai, although he didn't like lying to her, said that he was fine, and was just tired from what had happened with Black Dranzer. _But I can__'__t tell her just yet_, he thought, _I don__'__t want to worry her. I__'__ll tell her when she__'__s recovered__…__if she recovers__…_He sighed deeply, then closed his eyes. _I mustn__'__t think like that_, the teen told himself fiercely. _I love her too much to just let her go__…__She will get better, I know it. If Vai__'__s a fighter, then she__'__s a survivor, too! _

Things looked more hopeful as the week continued. Vai's coughs gradually stopped, and she was awake most of the time during the day. Her health improved, too. Her sickness was also fading out, her face getting its colour back, so she no longer looked pale. Her strength was returning slowly. Vai could sit up in bed without any help and each day her voice was a little clearer and stronger, less hoarse. This raised everyone's spirits, including Kai's. She was recovering!

At the end of the week, Vai was allowed to go home. As they walked out of the hospital, Kai told her quietly, "I was so scared…I thought I was going to lose you…because I knew that battle had taken all of your strength away - and there was a possibility that it wouldn't return…"

Vai looked at him, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Kai," she whispered. "I'm so sorry for worrying you…I didn't want to cause anyone any distress…" Kai embraced her with one arm, brushing the tears from her eyes. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's okay, now," Kai comforted. "'Cause you're better again…I'm not worried anymore." He squeezed her shoulder gently with an affectionate squeeze. They walked like that for the rest of the way to her hotel. They knocked on her parents' door. The door to the room opened and Vai's mother stood in the doorway.

"Vai!" she gasped. "You've recovered!" Her daughter beamed, nodding happily. Her mum, overjoyed, called for her husband, who strode to the doorway at once. Vai's dad was pleased, too - and relieved that she was okay again. They looked at Kai thankfully. "Thank you for taking care of her," Vai's mum smiled. "You're a true friend to her - and you don't get many of those in the world." Then, she noticed how close together he and Vai were standing, with his arm wrapped around her and her head resting on his shoulder. She smiled to herself, looking at them speculatively. Vai knew what her mum was thinking and flushed slightly, a pale pink colour appearing on her cheeks. Her mum's smile broadened.

"So, it's you and Kai, is it?" the woman asked.

Vai coughed nervously, her blush deepening. "Er…yeah," she replied hesitantly. "We're boyfriend and girlfriend now…" Kai nodded his agreement.

"I guess we didn't see it coming," Vai's dad joked light-heartedly. His wife laughed a small laugh at his words. Vai also laughed. Kai almost smiled in amusement.

As Vai and Kai exited the hotel, they bid quick goodbyes before running to Tyson's house, hand in hand. It was a warm summer evening, and the sun was just beginning to get low over the horizon. The team welcomed Vai home enthusiastically and celebrated her recovery by having a large Japanese meal which Tyson's grandpa cooked for them, with the help of Max's dad and Mr. Dickenson himself. The BBA chairman smiled as he watched them tuck in. _Those kids are so energetic_, he thought. _And very hungry. It looks like Vai__'__s become part of the team now; she spends most of her time with them, especially with Kai. I know they__'__re both Russian and were good friends as children, but I think there__'__s also something else going on here - something deeper than friendship__…__ Could it be possible for Kai to find a place for someone in his heart? And - What__'__s this? _

Vai was looking at Kai, a loving smile on her face as she watched him eat. Her eyes were full of kindness. _Now, that__'__s the kindest look I have ever seen from Vai, _Mr. Dickenson thought, _and the most proudest. _Vai then said something the old man didn't catch, but he had a surprise as he looked at Kai while he replied to what the girl had said. _His eyes__…__they__'__re soft_, he said silently in his head. _There__'__s no coldness or hardness at all when he looks at her__…__and he__'__s almost smiling when he talks to her! It looks like it__'__s possible after all for him to have someone in his heart. _Mr. Dickenson laughed a small laugh. _And_, he added, _I hope it__'__s a love that lasts forever__…_

Ray had noticed what was going on between them too and watched them with a knowing smile. It seemed to be only him that knew of the deep feelings Kai and Vai harboured for each other, for the others were too engrossed in eating to notice. _The way they sit together…the way they talk to each other…they must really love each other_, Ray thought, smiling. _I've never seen Vai looking so kindly at someone as much as this before - and Kai at such ease with her…At a girl, Vai - you make him whole again. And Kai - it's good to see that you love her back as much as she loves you. You can't live without each other - and that's true passion…_ He smiled briefly at them, before continuing to eat his meal.

While the others sat around and chatted after the meal, Vai and Kai slipped outside for some air. They stood side by side on the veranda, close to each other. Kai's scarf flapped around in the cool, rising breeze. Vai's raven hair streamed out with the wind. Thesky became full of colour as the sun set over Japan, streaked with crimson-red, vivid, light purple, bright pink with a hint of sapphire-blue. The clouds were tinged the beautiful sunset colours. Vai sighed dreamily, lost in the wonder of the beauty of that colourful sunset sky, a hazy smile crossing her face. Kai also admired the sunset, with a calm, relaxed face that was not straight and stern as it usually was.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, and the beautiful sky began to darken, Kai turned to Vai, looking into her eyes. "I've found a reason…to change who I used to be," he told her softly. "A reason for a new start…and the reason is you. You're the one who's given me the reason to show a side of me that I haven't revealed for a long time, a side that I've concealed and locked inside myself for almost all my life…a part of me that was taken away when I lived with my grandfather and was trained at Balkov Abbey…and it's at moments like this, when we're alone, that I'll be able to let it run free." His violet eyes became passionate, showing all the love he felt for her; and then, he smiled. Not a smirk, or a faint grin, but a smile. A real, loving smile. It was the biggest smile Vai had ever seen from him - and it was a smile for her. She flashed him an equally affectionate smile back, giggling with glee.

Suddenly, Kai grabbed her into his arms, and closing his eyes, kissed her fiercely, gentle lips smooth and tight as he held her. Vai was taken aback by the unexpected strong embrace and fierce kiss. But she relaxed, responding to him, her lips returning the fierce, passionate touch he gave her. This was Kai - with his emotions running free, letting her know with all the passion in his heart and soul, how much he loved her. This was not the cold, hard-hearted, emotionless Kai that most people knew and feared, nor the kind, quiet Kai Vai had known as a child; this was a different side altogether. A side that no one he had. A passionate, affectionate side that revealed his true colours; that beneath his tough, serious, cold exterior was a soft-hearted, kind person that showed his emotions clearly and never concealed them.

But this side was something he only showed when he was with someone he really trusted - and, because he had never trusted anyone enough, he had never revealed it, and so it had become lost, like his past. His love for Vai had reawakened it, and he now showed it for the first time. It was a side he had saved just for her and she loved it. A secret part of Kai's self that only she would know about - and a secret they would both share, always.


	8. Forever As One

**Chapter Eight - Forever As One**

As darkness fell, Vai and Kai walked back into the house, where the team were already settling down for the night.Vai stifled a yawn as she got comfortable in her makeshift bed.

"Tired?" a quiet voice asked her. It was Kai, looking at her softly, a faint smile touching his lips.

"Yeah," she replied sleepily. "I couldn't sleep…without you there. That's why I'm so tired, I guess." She stifled another yawn. Kai had laid his bed next to hers, and settled himself into a comfortable sleeping position. Vai felt his arm snake around her, gently pulling her towards him. She felt his warm, solid body and smiled. She had never slept this close to him before, and she loved the feel of his warm body against hers. The girl curled up against his chest as he held her tightly, his warm, close embrace soothing. His calm presence made her feel secure, so she relaxed.

Vai closed her eyes and was soon lost in the innocence of sleep, surrounded by the warmth of Kai's protective embrace. It was so nice to sleep with his presence there again. She slept peacefully, more than she had done when he had been gone.

Vai opened her eyes. Kai was beside her, still asleep. His arm was still around her. She smiled. He looked so cute when he was sleeping. She looked at his scruffy, soft-looking silver hair, suddenly getting an overwhelming urge to touch it. Tentatively, the girl touched his hair quickly with her fingers. She almost gasped out loud at how soft it was. It tickled her fingers as she stroked it, feeling like kitten's fur. Her smile broadened. _I love his hair_, she thought. _It__'__s so soft__…_ She didn't notice Kai's eyes flicker open. He looked at her kindly, enjoying the feel of her caress as she stroked his hair. Vai felt his gaze, and her eyes slowly met his. She stopped caressing his hair. Her cheeks turned pink. "Ah…sorry."

Kai laughed, a quiet, tiny laugh as he smiled faintly at her. He kissed her fondly. "I don't mind," he whispered. "You can stroke my hair if you want to." He touched her cheek tenderly with a gentle hand.

Vai forgot her embarassment and smiled back at him. They both sat up in bed, blinking in the soft light of morning, brushing sleep from their eyes. Vai covered a yawn as Kai stretched extravagantly. They both had had a goodnight's sleep, and felt refreshed. This was the first fitful sleep they had had for a long time, devoid of nightmares for once. And they had slept together, which had helped them even more to get the extra sleep they had needed.

Once they were ready for the day, Vai invited Kai to have breakfast at her hotel with family. Kai readily agreed and accepted her offer. He quickly wrote a note to his team-mates to tell them where he had gone, before slipping out of the house with Vai. Hand in hand, they walked up the street for a little while, until they reached the hotel.

Vai's family were lucky enough to have a private dining room, so they could eat meals together without being disturbed. As they sat down and ordered breakfast, Vai's mum told Kai warmly, "It's good to see you again. How are you and Vai doing?"

"We're great, thank you," Kai replied with a small smile. "A lot's been going on lately…" He went on to tell them about the Dark Beybladers, the nightmares he and Vai had had due to them, of their close calls with the shady team - when a member of the dark gang had almost attacked him, the close shave Vai had had at the beach with the rockslide; of Kenny's kidnap and how it had been a diversion to capture him and the fierce battle between him and Vai when Black Dranzer had been controlling him… "Vai defeated Black Dranzer, but did not destroy it," Kai recalled. "By using her love for me, she broke the spell it had over me, after realising that power alone wouldn't be enough to free me of its control. She was exhausted after the battle, so I carried her to Tyson's house for some rest, but she became very ill because of being out in the cold rain so long fighting Black Dranzer. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was treated and given the conclusion that she would recover in a few days." He sighed, closing his eyes. "But I knew differently…I knew that all her mental and physical strength had been taken away in the battle, and had been injured badly. It was because of this that there was the possibility she wouldn't ever recover. But I stayed by her side - and took care of her, giving her all the love she needed. And she recovered days later."

"We had a big meal to celebrate my recovery," Vai added. "And he and I slept like logs last night after the food. We feel better than we have done in ages!" She smiled at Kai, who opened his eyes and smiled a tiny smile back. Vai's parents were amazed at how much their daughter and her friend had been through. Battles with mystical creatures…premonitions and nightmares…kidnaps…falling in love… They shook their heads in disbelief. What an adventure those two were having!

Kai and Vai exchanged secretive smiles. Vai's mum and dad didn't know it, but the adventure was just beginning. There would be more battles to come against the Dark Beybladers, more Bit Beast clashes, and a final battle there and then to decide the most powerful team. Breakfast arrived, and they ate toast and soup as they talked in Russian. Kai felt more at home, and began to relax as he spoke with them in his home language. It was nice to speak Russian for a change, instead of Japanese, which he had spoken all the time since he had met Tyson and the others for the first time.

"Is Moscow still looking good?" Kai asked Vai in their home language.

"Yeah," she nodded, replying in Russian. "Still as snowy as ever in winter. Not much has changed since you lived there, but there are definitely more Beybladers about!" Kai almost smiled at this. He nodded, pleased. It was good to hear that his hometown was the same as ever, for he liked it that way. Sometimes, he even missed the city. He and Vai would be returning there, anyway, once the summer vacation had finished, to go to high school. His smile faded as he realised that it would, more than likely, mean they would go to different schools - so they wouldn't see each other for a long time. _But I don__'__t want that_, Kai thought fiercely. _I don__'__t want it! I haven__'__t found Vai just to have her lost to me again, like she was when I was taken away from her as a kid__…__It won__'__t happen again. She and I will have to keep our love a secret, because if my grandfather finds out, we__'__ll never see each other again__…_

Vai saw the worry in his eyes as he sat, chewing thoughtfully about this. She looked at him in concern. "You okay, Kai?" she asked him in Russian. He nodded.

_I__'__ll tell you about it later_, he mouthed. She aknowledged this, nodding curtly. Once they had finished the breakfast, Kai thanked Vai's parents gratefully for letting him eat with them, before he and Vai rushed off to the Central Park. It was there he told her about how they would have to keep their love a secret once the summer vacation was over. They no longer spoke in Russian as they talked. Vai understood how he felt, but was sure there was some way they could keep in contact. "Don't worry, Kai, I'm sure we'll be able to think of something when the time comes," she reassured him positively. Kai nodded. She did have a point.

His thoughts turned to the shady Dark Beybladers. He and his friends had not seen them at all since the battle with Black Dranzer. Although there was no sign of them, he knew they were never faraway, and were waiting for another chance to strike. They would be watching. They would be waiting. They would want revenge. _And we do, too, _Kai added silently to himself. _We__'__re no pushovers, either. _He clenched his fists. _Next time we fight them, they__'__re going down - big time. And I__'__ll make sure that Black Dranzer goes down with them__…__for good. _

It was a relief to be free of the Dark Beybladers. They wouldn't be back for a while - but they would return at some stage, the team knew all too well. They were a little more relaxed, now that the battles were over temporarily. Even so, they were still on the look-out for the slightest sign that would signal the return of the shady team. Tyson and his team trained harder than ever in order to prepare themselves for any confrontation. Anyone would have thought that Vai's nasty experience with Black Dranzer would have hindered her Beyblading strength a little - but it didn't. In fact, to everyone's surprise except Kai's, she grew stronger. By taking the experience in her stride, she used it to motivate her as she trained. And that was how she and Icefire grew more powerful.

"Hey, guys!" a voice called to them. Their heads snapped up at once, Ray's the fastest, as he recognised the voice instantly.

"Mariah!" he laughed. The slender red-haired girl ran towards him, and threw her arms around his neck, her yellow-orange eyes, so like Ray's, dancing with happiness. "It's so good to see you again," Ray told her, his eyes becoming dreamy. As he and Mariah kissed each other affectionately, Vai shot Kai a quizzical look, raising an eyebrow.

_His girlfriend! _he mouthed to her. _They__'__ve been together for years, since they were small. _

Vai smiled. _Kinda like us_, she replied, _but we__'__ve only just discovered our love. _

Kai nodded.

"Well, who's this?" Mariah asked, nodding to Vai as she and Ray stopped kissing.

"A new friend," Ray explained to her, beaming. "Mariah, meet Vai."

The Chinese girl walked over to Vai, smiling warmly at her. Vai shook her outstretched hand, flashing a friendly smile back.

"I'm Violet Malakomi," Vai told Mariah formally. "But I like to be known as Vai."

"Nice to meet you, Vai," Mariah answered politely, her smile broadening. Kai smirked. It looked like the girls were friends already. Ray's friend's striking orange eyes became catlike as she saw Vai's vivid violet eyes. She inhaled sharply. "Hey, I know you!" she exclaimed. "A rumour's been going round that a Russian girl named Vai's going out with Kai Hiwatari!"

Vai's cheeks burned. _Sheesh! _she thought, cursing herself silently. _I blush so easily - why do I go red every time someone mentions Kai, or his love for me? I__'__m so stupid__…__I__'__m such an - _

_Oh, Vai, _tutted a chiming voice in her head. _Why must you always blame yourself for these things? It__'__s natural for you to do that - after all, you _are_ in love with Kai. _

Vai sighed. _I suppose you're right, Icefire_, she admitted reluctantly.

_I am_, the Bit Beast replied. _Now - go on. Tell your new friend that you're Kai's girlfriend - and don't deny it! _

Vai smiled. _Okay_, she nodded. She looked at Mariah again, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm that girl - and I really am Kai's girlfriend."

Mariah laughed. "So it's true! I sure you and Kai will do well together. There's also this other rumour…that you and him were once childhood friends, but were separated about ten years ago. Is that right?"

Vai nodded. "That's true too," she replied. "And I came here to find Kai - as you can see, we're together now."

Mariah turned and faced all of the team. She had some news to share with them. It turned out that the Stadium in Bay City was holding a dance competition in a few days' time. It was for Beybladers only, and Beybattles could be held there to add some fun to the atmosphere. "Sounds cool!" Tyson laughed. "And I'm just one of the best dancers around."

His team-mates rolled their eyes. "Yeah right!" Hilary pouted.

Tyson ignored her and turned to Daichi. "Hey, buddy - why don't we work together?"

Daichi whooped with excitement, nodding eagerly. Mariah beamed.

"That's why I came here, guys," she smiled. "To work with Ray. Max, Hilary, Kenny, you gonna join in?"

They nodded. Mariah's eyes shone. "Great! Okay, see y'all at the competition. C'mon, Ray, we've got some practicing to do…" With that, she and Ray trotted off in the direction of the park. Daichi and Tyson ran after them, also keen to start dancing. Max looked at Kai and Vai.

"Aren't you going to practice, you two?" he asked them.

They nodded. With Kai in the lead, and Vai running to keep up with him, they too left for the park. At Central Park, Kai and Vai, (unlike the others, who practiced their dancing out in the open), danced in a huge clearing at the heart of the small forest there. Kai, with one arm around Vai's waist and his other hand holding her hand, smoothly and fluidly danced in a waltz. Vai had her hand placed on his shoulder, while he held her other hand. She was amazed how he could dance so skilfully. It was as if he had done it all his life. At first, she had been a little jerky as they had begun to dance, but she was a fast learner and had quickly picked up the routine of the waltz. They were dancing slowly, so Vai could get used to the moves and get her timing right. It was hard, but she gradually started to move with Kai, trying her best to mirror his moves. She let him guide her as they danced.

"You're doing good," Kai encouraged Vai softly. "Keep it up." She smiled at him as they danced.

"Thanks, Kai," she replied, beaming.

Over the few days that followed, Vai and Kai practiced in that same spot in the forest almost all the time, working hard to perfect the dance routine and their timing. By the time the day of the dance competition arrived, they were satisfied that they were ready. They practiced almost all day to make sure everything was perfect, before getting ready in the evening for the competition.

As he and the team, dressed in suits, made their way to the Stadium, Kai wondered silently what outfit Vai would be wearing and what colour it would be. Just thinking about her made his heart pound with excitement. Vai was the only girl who hadn't joined them yet. She had returned to her hotel to get ready, saying to them she would meet them there. They entered through the backstage doors, walking down the flight of steps. As they did so, quite a lot of girls' heads turned, especially in Ray's and Kai's direction. But neither of them paid any attention to this, with Ray keeping a firm hold of Mariah's hand and Kai looking around for one girl only - Vai. _His_ girl.

Suddenly, as one, all the male heads in the room, including Kai's, turned in the direction of the stairs. And at the top of the stairs, stood Vai. As stunning as ever. Kai's eyes widened slightly, his heart pounding, blood rushing through his veins. Her long raven hair was brought up high on her head, in the middle of which was a silver diamond tiara, sparkling in the ballroom lights. She wore a long floor-length, strapless violet-coloured dress that glittered with the tiny amethysts that were sewn into the material. She wore snow-white, elbow-length gloves. Around her neck was a silver chain from which hung a brilliant amethyst, that brought out the colour of her beautiful eyes. Pale, soft pink lipstick covered her lips and a tiny hint of blusher added colour to her cheeks. On her feet, were a pair of shining, silver high-heeled sandals. She smiled as all the boys came running.

Vai didn't pay much attention to them and her eyes searched for one boy only - Kai. And suddenly, he was there, striding calmly and silently through the path the crowd of boys had made for him. She descended daintily down the stairs, and he gently took her hand as she reached the last stair. Formally, he knelt on the floor in front of her and, kissing her gloved hand, asked, "May I have the honour of dancing with one so stunningly beautiful and charming as yourself?"

Vai curtsied gracefully. "Why, young man, it would be my pleasure," she smiled.

They both stood up and Kai led her to the dance-floor. At that moment, the lights dimmed and the music began to play. And in the midst of the dancing, one couple moved completely in time with each other, weaving a magical path over the floor. So unified were their movements, that people were awestruck by their perfection and ceased their own dancing to watch the couple. Silence fell as everyone in the room watched them dance. The lights were turned off and the only spotlight that illuminated them was the moonlight that streamed through the window behind them.

The diamonds of Vai's tiara flashed and twinkled like tiny stars and Kai's silver hair was turned a brilliant silvery-blue. The music changed to a well-known pop song about love called _I Believe My Heart_. Tyson and his friends' mouth gaped open as Kai sang the first two verses:

_Whenever I see your face_,

_The world disappears,_

_All in a single glance so_

_Revealing…_

_Your smile _

_And I feel as though,_

_I've known you for years._

_How do I know to trust what I'm feeling? _

_I believe my heart,_

_What else can I do?_

_When every part of every thought_

_Leads me straight to you._

_I believe my heart,_

_There's no other choice,_

_From now, whenever,_

_My heart speaks,_

_I can only hear your voice. _

Then, Vai sang the two verses that followed after that:

_A lifetime before we met,_

_Has faded away, _

_How did I live a moment without you?_

_You don't have to speak at all, _

_I know what you'd say,_

_And I know every secret_

_About you. _

_I believe my heart, _

_It believes in you,_

_It's telling me that what I see,_

_Is completely true. _

_I believe my heart,_

_How can it be wrong?_

_It says that what I feel for you,_

_I will feel my whole life long. _

In unison, they sang together:

_I believe my heart,_

_It believes in you,_

_It's telling me that what I see,_

_Is completely true._

_And with all my soul, _

_I believe my heart,_

_The voice with added place of ear,_

_Is a perfect mark_

_Of heart. _

There was a stunned silence as the song ended. Everyone was dumbstruck at how beautiful their voices had been, how easily they had merged together to make one, dulcet sound, male and female voices in complete harmony. But before they could applaud, the music changed again, to a soft, melodic tune very like a music-box song. And it was a song that only Kai and Vai knew. "Reminds me of our homeland," Vai whispered to Kai.

"Russia…" Kai replied in a murmur that only she heard. The song was Russian, from a movie called _Anastasia. _It was _Once Upon A December_. Vai's singing filled the quiet air of the room, her sweet voice ringing out, pure, beautiful, soft notes forming the words of the song.

_Dancing bears, painted wings,_

_Things I almost remember,_

_And a song,_

_Someone sings - _

_Once upon a December._

_Someone holds me safe and warm,_

_Horses prance through a silver storm,_

_Figures dancing gracefully,_

_Across my memories. _

_Far away, long ago,_

_Glowing dim as an ember,_

_Things made my heart, used to know,_

_Things it yearns to remember,_

_And a song,_

_Someone sings -_

_Once upon a December…_

As Vai's last, single held note faded away, she and Kai stopped waltzing and they looked into each other's eyes. "Thank you," Vai told Kai softly, her violet eyes shining. The boy gave her a faint, loving smile and nodded silently. The crowd burst into applause as they walked over to their friends. The team gaped at them, astonishment highly visible on their faces. Hilary's eyes were misted over dreamily and Mariah dashed tears of joy from her eyes with a watery smile.

"They were so…amazing," Ray breathed to Max.

Max shook his head in disbelief. He gave a low whistle. "No kidding," he agreed. "Where did they learn to dance like that?"

Tyson shrugged. "Beats me. But what about their singing - they were so in tune with each other! I haven't heard Vai sing before, and I didn't know Kai could, either!" He beamed. "He's the last person you'd expect to do something like that."

"I heard that, Tyson!" came Kai's unexpected response from behind him. Tyson jumped out of his skin. Vai laughed at his expression as he scowled at Kai. Her boyfriend's mouth twitched with amusement.

They looked up as the announcer, DJ Jazzman, blared out: "It looks like we have the winners of tonight's dance competition - and they are none other than Vai Malakomi and Kai Hiwatari!" Cheers followed this. The announcer walked over to them and handed Kai a shining gold trophy of a couple waltzing. Vai glowed with pride. Kai smiled a tiny smile of pleasure. "Give it up for the Russian couple - Kai and Vai!" Jazzman smiled. "Kai, from the World Champion Beyblade team, the Bladebreakers, and Vai, his girlfriend!" Thunderous cheers and applause rippled through the Beybladers in the room. Kai gently took her hand in his, his fingers entwining with hers. Together, they walked out of the ballroom, hand in hand.

Kai and Vai stood outside in the moonlight, looking into each other's eyes. "I've had such a great time, Kai," Vai whispered. "And it's all thanks to you…" Closing her eyes, she kissed him on the lips gently. The kiss warmed him immediately. He gave a small, loving smile.

"My Vai, you're so beautiful," he replied quietly. "Beautiful to me in every way…even when you cry. Oh, I love you so much." He folded his muscular arms around her and drew her close to him. She snuggled into his chest, warmth engulfing her. She heard his heartbeat, felt it beating in time with her own. Vai smiled. They would always be together, no matter what happened. Forever as one.


	9. Clash Of The Three Phoenixes

-1**Chapter Nine - Clash Of The Three Phoenixes**

Kai snapped awake, gasping for breath. Sweat soaked his forehead. Vai also awoke at that moment, as if sensing something was wrong. "Kai?" she asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

"It's Black Dranzer…it's here," he whispered. "Dranzer warned me in a dream." Vai felt Icefire glowing beneath her bedcover. The phoenix chimed a fearful note in her head. She nodded. Icefire had just warned her, too, about Black Dranzer. Kai stood up, wrapping his long white scarf around his neck. He helped Vai to her feet. "Let's go," he told her urgently. She nodded curtly. With that, they sped silently out of the room, light on their feet. None of the team stirred as they did so.

As they ran full-pelt to the park, Vai's mind raced. _Kai__'__s just had a premonition about the Dark Beybladers__'__ final strike,_ she thought. _And Icefire sensed Black Dranzer__'__s presence, plus, I get this strange feeling that the battle will be in the park - and Kai feels it too. What does it all mean? Is it just coincidence? _She shook her head. _It can__'__t be__…__I bet this was meant to happen. Black Dranzer did this on purpose to get us alone, so we__'__re not in a team. But Kai and I__'__ll show them how wrong they are! _

"We'll make 'em wish they hadn't challenged us in the first place, won't we, Kai?" Vai declared confidently. Kai nodded, determination showing in his eyes, and clenched his fists as he ran. Both Beybladers heard their Bit Beasts' angry squawks in their minds as the park came into view. Their instinct had been right - and they were getting closer to Black Dranzer and the Dark Beybladers. Kai's eyes narrowed. _This is our battle, and our battle alone_, he thought. _None of the team, not even Tyson, must interfere - or their Bit Beasts will be doomed. It'll take all of me and Vai's power to take Black Dranzer down - forever. Vai's right. We'll make sure nothing stops us from destroying it! _

It was a moonless night, the sky pitch black and not a single star in sight. Heavy, bleak grey clouds hung overhead, the air unusually cold. It definitely wasn't a typical summer night. A stiff, nippy gust of wind whipped Kai's scarf and tousled his silver hair, which looked iron-grey in the dim light of the park. The gust buffeted Vai's long, flowing raven hair, making it fall stingingly across her face. Only her hair's dark blue shine was visible in the gloom. The darkness of the night was oppressing and Vai's heart beat faster as she nervously groped around for Kai's hand and her hand gripped thin air.

Kai, as if sensing her fear, touched her fingers gently and held her hand tightly in the darkness. He squeezed her hand affectionately. His touch soothed her fear. They walked through the playground hand in hand, and arrived at the small plain. Their phoenixes let out cries of fear and fury that resounded ringingly in their minds, making them almost cringe at their loudness. _Black Dranzer is present! _Icefire and Dranzer squawked shrilly. The wind that tousled their hair and clothes suddenly became much fiercer, a gale whipping through the park. Shivers ran down Kai and Vai's spines as an all too familiar chilling screech reverberated in their heads.

Seemingly out of the darkness itself, appeared Black Dranzer. Its burning, blood-red eyes were narrowed with utter hatred at them, alight with a dreadful lust to get revenge, to kill; they bored into Kai and Vai's eyes. Kai stood firm, showing no emotion except the desire to battle. Vai trembled uncontrollably beside him, her heart pounding with terror. Her hand shook as Kai held it. As the Dark Beybladers appeared beside Black Dranzer, Kai drew Vai close to him, his arms fierce in their hold. "It's okay, Vai," he murmured reassuringly. "I'm here…it's gonna be alright." He caressed her hair soothingly, his touch passionate. His presence eased her shuddering body. She breathed easier as she slowly relaxed in his embrace and stopped clinging to him. "That's better…" Kai whispered. "You're more relaxed." She looked up at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Kai," Vai whispered back. "I really needed that." He gave her a small, loving smile of thanks before letting go of her and they faced Black Dranzer and its dark owners. The leader stepped forward. His launcher was held out, with two Beyblades - his own and Black Dranzer's - attached. Kai and Vai had their launchers at the ready, too. "LET IT RIP!" they yelled, spinning their blades with all their might into battle. Kai took on Black Dranzer while Vai faced off against the werewolf blade, which was the leader's own Beyblade. Icefire easily defeated his Bit Beast - and sent the Beyblade flying to its owner's feet. Kai, though, wasn't having as much luck as Vai. Even not at full power, Black Dranzer was powerful and had never been defeated.

Knowing Kai needed help, Vai fought the black Beyblade too. "We need to do this together," Kai told her. "You ready?" She nodded. Hand in hand, they both released their Bit Beasts together. Two shafts of light - one red, the other blue - rose up from their blades, rocketing skyward. Black Dranzer screeched with hatred at Icefire and Dranzer as they materialized before it. The two phoenixes answered back with harsh squawks of challenge. _We need to combine our attacks_, Kai told Vai in her head. Like when their Bit Beasts had unified, he and Vai could talk with their thoughts to one another, as Dranzer and Icefire had become one with each other once again.

_Okay_, Vai replied, nodding. _It__'__s the only hope we have of defeating it - and taking it down for good. Let__'__s go! _They gathered in all their willpower, then let out fierce cries of "Attack!" at the effort of unleashing it. As one, Beybladers and Bit Beasts shot at Black Dranzer as two interlocked energy beams. Kai's hand still held Vai's and Dranzer's wing touched Icefire's as they headed straight for the black phoenix. Down below, the two Beyblades, touching, flew at their opponent together. The surprised Black Dranzer was struck by the full power of Dranzer and Icefire's Special Attacks. Letting out a deafening screech of pain, it disappated into nothing.

An ordinary, useless black Beyblade clattered to the floor, its Bit Chip cracked, devoid of its power. Black Dranzer was gone. Simeltanously, Icefire and Dranzer returned to their Beyblades. Vai found herself back in her own body, standing beside Kai, whose hand still held hers. The Dark Beybladers vanished like Black Dranzer did; they would never return. Vai smiled at Kai.

"We…did it," she breathed. "I can't…believe we did it." Kai gave a brief smile back. He nodded.

"We defeated it together," he replied. Vai, looking as drained and weak as he was, swayed feebly. Kai swept her into his arms and carried her back to Tyson's house, after scooping up both their Beyblades.

They fell straight to sleep as soon as their heads touched the pillows of their makeshift beds. They were still sound asleep when morning came and the team woke up, lying in each other's arms. Tyson looked at them as they slept, frowning. It wasn't like them to sleep in so late. Then, he noticed their tousled hair and the small cuts on their faces and necks. Minor Beybattle wounds. They had had a battle against someone or something during the night. _Black Dranzer is no more_, Dragoon told him in his mind. Tyson's heart missed a beat as he gasped out loud with surprise.

_What do you mean, Dragoon? _he asked in disbelief. _How in the - _

_Kai and Vai defeated it_, his dragon answered excitedly. _Dranzer and Icefire combined their attacks. _

Tyson beamed with glee. _I can__'__t believe it - they really did it! _he whooped happily to his Bit Beast. _Thanks for telling me, Dragoon! _With that, he rushed outside to tell the team the great news. His friends were just as surprised and pleased to hear that Black Dranzer had been defeated for good. "That's brilliant, Tyson!" Hilary exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him joyously. Tyson, looking quite taken aback, let her embrace him. Laughing jovially, Daichi caught Kenny in a rough bear hug. The surprised boy chuckled as the red-haired kid announced that Kai and Vai deserved medals for what they had done. It was then that Hilary realised that she was hugging Tyson and quickly let go of him, blushing furiously and looking at him shyly. "Uh, sorry…" she mumbled.

Mariah, who had slept over with them in the night, was confused. "Black Dranzer?" she asked. "I thought it was destroyed ages ago, when you guys first became World Champions." Ray shook his head. He explained patiently that it had somehow got into the hands of the Dark Beybladers and Vai had had visions warning them of its rise to power. Kai had also had disturbing dreams about it. They had faced a number of strikes from the Dark Beybladers, most leaving them relieved that they had escaped unscathed, for they had had many close shaves. But, thanks to Kai and Vai, it was over and Black Dranzer was defeated. Mariah nodded, pleased. "Sounds good to me," she remarked to Ray once he had finished explaining.

Kai and Vai slept all day, only waking briefly to eat or drink. And the team kept them quiet by leaving them alone and talking to them if them wanted company. But the next day, they were fully recovered from their ordeal. They trained with the team as usual, with Mariah joining in too. "Let's see who's the toughest gal here!" Mariah declared once the morning practice was finished. She held her launcher at Vai. "You ready?"

Vai nodded. "I'll just warn you - things are about to get a little icy around here!" she told Ray's girlfriend. She also held out her launcher. They faced each other across a Beystadium.

Mariah wasn't daunted by Vai's warning. "Oooh, I'm shaking in my boots, girlfriend - bring it on!" The team watched the two girls from a safe distance. Those teens may be girls, but when they got competitive, others would have to stand back and watch the fireworks. Both Mariah and Vai were powerful Beybladers. But who was the strongest of them?

"According to their stats, Mariah and Vai are almost evenly matched in attack power…but when it comes to how strong their Bit power is, it's hard to say. Both Special Attacks cause severe damage to the opponent…only it's how _much_ damage that's done is what's bothering me," Kenny informed the team as he quickly looked through the statistics on his laptop. "I don't know exactly the amount of damage that they will do to each other. Once this battle is over, I'll have the answer to that." The others nodded.

Together, Vai and Mariah counted down: "Three, two, one…LET IT RIP!" They launched their blades with all their might. The two Beyblades circled each other, one a bright pink, the other a sparkling sapphire. With sudden bursts of energy, Galux and Icefire clashed, colliding fiercely. The impact sent them spinning away to the edge of the arena. Mariah decided to make things interesting. "Cat fight!" she laughed. "Go, Galux!" The armoured red mountain cat appeared, roaring threateningly, flexing its short, sharp claws, tail twitching with anticipation. A sly smile crept across Vai's face. She would show her.

"Icefire!" she called. Her sapphire phoenix materialized, silver armour shining in the bright summer sunlight. Beak opened wide, it chimed out its cool, crystalline cry; every beat of its elegant wings sending out dazzling sparkles as the sunlight bounced off each single sapphire feather. Its long tail floated around it. As Mariah marvelled at the beautiful creature before her, Vai's smile broadened. "Icefire's no fried chicken," she told Mariah. "If I were you, I'd just chill out, if you see what I mean." She ordered Icefire to use its Special Attack - at full power. Mariah, not wanting to be caught off-guard, also called upon the full power of her Scratch Attack.

Wings folded, Icefire dived headfirst through the air, vanishing into a bolt of ice surrounded by blue flame. Claws poised to strike, Galux lunged into the attack, heading straight for the diving phoenix. There was a flash of white energy as the Bit Beasts collided. The team opened their eyes to find the Beystadium completely frozen over, and Mariah's blade, encased in sapphire-blue ice, lying beside it. And in the stadium, was Icefire, totally unscathed.

Mariah ran to collect up her blade. As she picked it up, Galux shattered into tiny pieces. Everyone except Kai gasped. Her blade was in pieces, yet Vai's had not even a scratch. Kenny shook his head in perplexity. "But how can that be?" he wondered aloud.

Kai had the answer. "Simple," he told Kenny calmly in his quiet voice. "Vai's got stronger." Kenny still looked confused.

"But, but…how?" he wanted to know.

Kai sighed, closing his eyes. "Right at the very beginning, I knew Icefire was powerful, and that it had the potential of a major development in its powers," he explained. "I was right, and it's increased in strength."

"Even more than last time?"

"Yes."

Tyson agreed with Kai. "And no wonder…" he breathed, nodding to the shattered Beyblade in Mariah's hands. "You have your answer, Kenny - Icefire does more damage and has more attack power. You'd better update your stats on Vai, man." Kenny nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the sliced-up Beyblade that had once been Galux.

Ray placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. "Kenny'll save Galux," he reassured her. "He'll build you a much stronger one. Right, Chief?" Kenny nodded eagerly, beaming at Mariah, who smiled excitedly back. As the team and Mariah went back inside the house, Vai called to Icefire, and the Beyblade flew to her palm. She sighed, remembering the shattered remains of Mariah's Beyblade. Kai saw how upset she was and walked over to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay," he told her softly, rubbing her shoulders, squeezing them gently. He had done that when she had been little, and when she was sad. This was the first time in years that he had done that. It made her relax, the feel of his fingers massaging her shoulders. "Kenny will fix her blade," Kai reassured Vai. "I just know it." Vai gave him a thankful smile, before kissing him fondly on the cheek. Then, she took his hands in hers.

"Kai?" she asked. "Would you want to…hang out with me sometime? Like, for a few hours in the park, a meal or a movie?"

"You mean, a date?" Kai asked, slightly surprised. Vai nodded. A faint, tiny smile briefly crossed his face. "Sure," he nodded. "When will we hang out?"

"Tonight, five pm. There's a great restaurant I know in the city - I've heard the food's delicious."

Kai's smile became clearer. "Sounds good to me."

Vai laughed. "Meet me outside my hotel room - I'll see you there!" With that, she trotted out of the garden, into the house.

At exactly five pm that evening, there was a knock at Vai's hotel room door. She peered through the peephole intently. And there was Kai, blinking at her calmly through the peephole glass. Vai smiled. She opened the door. "Come in," she told him warmly. Kai strode silently in, nodding to her, giving her a small smile. "Wow, you came right on time!" she laughed. Hand in hand, they walked to the restaurant together.

What Vai had heard about the restaurant's food being delicious was true. The meal she and Kai ate was rich and full of flavours. They both liked it very much and, because of this, ordered some desserts to try. As they ate their desserts, Vai watched the dancing glow of the candles on their table, following the shadows as they flickered and darted about in the ruddy light. She was deep in thought. Kai noticed the faraway look in her eyes and looked at her curiously. Vai felt his quizzical gaze and snapped out of her thoughtfulness.

"Anything bothering you?" Kai asked her calmly.

"No," she answered, smiling. "I was just thinking about us, that's all…our relationship…how this is our first date…that kind of thing. And how happy I am to be with you after all these years, Kai, because I love you."

Kai's eyes were soft as he looked at her. "I love you too, Vai. But even when we're apart, know that we'll always be together - don't forget that," he replied passionately, holding her hand and squeezing it gently. Vai nodded.

As they left the restaurant after finishing their desserts, Kai thanked Vai for inviting him on the date. She smiled at him and accepted his thanks. It had been a good meal and night out for both of them.


	10. Goodbye Forever?

-1**Chapter Ten - Goodbye Forever? **

The weeks passed, and all too soon, it was time to return home and start a new year at school, for the summer vaction was finished. Ray and Mariah left first, saying quick goodbyes, before taking a taxi to the airport to go back to China. They were followed by Max, who also took a taxi to the airport after bidding the team farewell. It would be Vai and Kai's turn soon.

"Before I go, I want you to have this," Kai told Vai, pressing something into her hand. She opened her fist. In her palm, was a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it, and read _Kai__'__s phone number_, which had numbers underneath it. The girl smiled.

"Thanks, Kai," she said to him gratefully. "I'll give you mine, with my address." She slipped a note into his hand. Vai noticed, looking at the note he had given her, that he had written his address, too. Great! They could keep in contact.

The black car drove into Bay City, passing the buildings and shops. As it neared Central Park, the old man who sat next to the taxi driver raised his hand silently in a gesture to halt. The vehicle skidded to a stop and he alighted from the taxi. On the small plain, half-hidden by the grass, he had caught sight of an object glinting in the sun. The old man carefully picked it up. A Beyblade. Not just any Beyblade, but a blade blacker than night itself. "If it isn't Kai's old teacher Boris' creation, Black Dranzer," Voltaire Hiwatari smirked. "It looks like it's destroyed…" He noted the Bit Chip, which had no image. His smirk broadened. "But, as they say, the phoenix will rise again, reborn from the ashes…"

Meanwhile, Vai looked up at Kai, tears in her eyes. "I'll miss you…" she whispered. Kai wiped the tears away as they began to fall down her beautiful face. He gently held her face in his hands, looking into her pained violet eyes. He sighed.

"I'll miss you, too, Vai," Kai told her quietly. He felt her tears splash his hands. He embraced her tightly, drawing her close. She cried, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't want you to be unhappy," Kai said softly. "We'll see each other soon, I just know it…so please, don't cry. Shhh…" Her sobs lessened. He kissed her, long and firmly, soothing her distress. His embrace slackened as his lips touched hers. Vai stopped crying.

He slowly let go of her. "That's better," Kai encouraged gently. His lips curved into a tiny smile. And she looked at him, brushing her tears away, smiling back.

Just then, a black taxi car pulled up beside Tyson's house. A towering old man alighted from the vehicle. Vai recognised him at once and shrank back behind Kai. "Grandfather…" Kai hissed, voice full of hatred, but his face showing no emotion. As Voltaire Hiwatari came towards them, Kai said softly, "It's okay, Vai. I won't let him hurt you - and I'll make sure that he never knows of our love." He held her hand and squeezed it once, letting go when the old man reached them. Voltaire's cold grey eyes flickered once to Vai as she stood beside Kai. She met his gaze steadily, showing no fear. His eyes then came to rest on the icy violet eyes of his emotionless grandson.

Kai gave him a stony death glare, his eyes heartless. Voltaire averted his eyes quickly. Even he couldn't meet Kai's gaze when he gave him those soulless stares. Vai hid a loving smile. _At a boy, Kai_, she thought.

The taxi driver opened one of the back passenger doors of the taxi, and Kai silently walked to the car, climbing in. The door slammed shut. Voltaire got in himself, shutting his door behind him. As the car sped off, Vai saw Kai wave once, before it rounded a corner and disappeared from view.

Vai sighed, slowly turning away, tearing her eyes from the road Kai's taxi had vanished down. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Bye, Kai…" she whispered. _Will I__…__ever see him again? _she thought. _If Voltaire finds out about our love, that__'__ll be it. Is it really goodbye forever? _Her heart swelled with a crippling pain of loss and anguish. She buried her face in her hands. "It hurts," Vai sobbed. "It hurts so much…" Tears flowed through her fingers to fall silently to the floor. "My Kai, my love…" She burst into anguished sobs that echoed in the quiet, empty street.

"Vai?" a voice asked in concern behind her. Hilary looked at her worriedly, her shoulder-length brown hair rippling slightly with the light breeze that blew through the air. Her ruby-red eyes were anxious. "What's the matter?" she asked Vai. "Did you hurt yourself?" Vai shook her head wordlessly.

"No, it's not that…" she managed to reply after a short moment of silence.

A light frown creased Hilary's forehead. "But - you're crying."

"I know…'cause I _am_ hurt," Vai's voice shook, nearly a sob. "Hurt inside…my, my…heart…hurts…" She looked at Hilary, her eyes so full of pain and sorrow, that her friend was deeply moved, and really felt for her. "It's Kai…he's gone - maybe forever! Oh, Hilary…" She buried her face in her hands again as her body was racked by huge, pained sobs. Hilary put a hand on her shoulder, pressing a handkerchief into her palm.

Gradually, Vai's sobs faded away, and she wiped her tears away with the handkerchief. She looked at Hilary gratefully. "Thank you. I'm sorry for crying."

Hilary looked at her soulful, tormented eyes. "But you still look like you're hurting," she told her.

"I know," Vai sighed. "I am. When you love someone this much and they leave, your heart will always hurt until they come back…only, Kai might never come back, if his grandfather finds out about our love…it'll be over. We'll never see each other again." More tears welled up in her eyes.

"A forbidden love…" Hilary said quietly. "Kai's grandfather won't let you be together because he sees love as a 'weakness.' Oh, Vai…you poor soul…" She looked at Vai anxiously as her friend brushed the tears from her eyes.

"Will you be okay now?"

Vai nodded. "Thanks to you, Hilary." She gave her a small, watery smile, her eyes lighting up a little. As she and Hilary entered the dojo, Vai glanced back over her shoulder at the road which Kai had left down. _I__'__ll wait_, she thought. _I__'__ll wait until we see each other again__…__I__'__ll wait forever, if I have to. After all, Kai is the one I love the most. _

The plane landed in Russia, and Vai looked out at the stone city of Moscow. Home. It seemed to her that years had passed since she had been here. Although autumn was just settling in, there was already a chill to the air as she walked down the ramp, her breath rising as mist. She shivered a little. It seemed to be colder than usual. _It__'__s probably because I__'__m still heartbroken about not being with Kai_, Vai thought miserably, sighing heavily. _Even home doesn__'__t seem complete without him__…_ In broken-hearted silence, she climbed into the taxi waiting for them. Once they arrived back at their house, Vai quickly unpacked her things. She glanced at her new school uniform and sighed. Tomorrow, she would be starting high school. _I won__'__t know anyone there, _she thought glumly. _None of my friends from middle school are going, so I__'__ll be all alone. Kai will be starting his second year at high school tomorrow, a different high school to mine, I bet. There__'__s no point in even hoping that he might be going to the same school, because knowing his grandfather, he__'__ll probably send him to some __'__boys only__'__ one__…_She sighed again. _Things are so dull without him. I wish you were here, Kai. I__'__m probably not going to see him for years, like I did back when I was small after our separation. _

A sob overwhelmed her. _But…I don't want that…I don't want it to happen again! I couldn't face it - another ten years after we've just reunited - it's not fair! _Vai slumpedon to her bed, crying heart-brokenly into the pillow.

Kai sat up in his large bedroom at Hiwatari Mansion, thinking about Vai. One thing was for sure. They might not see each other for a while, so somehow, he would have to write to her or call her without his grandfather knowing. There was no way he could face another long ten years without her. Then, the idea struck him. He could write his letters to her while he did his homework, so Voltaire wouldn't suspect anything, and keep replies in his schoolbag. He nodded, pleased with the plan. _What about phone calls? _he thought. _I gave her my phone number__…__that__'__s it! Because I carry my mobile with me all the time, I could call her outside, away from the mansion. _Kai smirked faintly. He now had two good ways of staying in contact with Vai without his grandfather knowing. He took a taxi to a small town near the mansion, called Whitford. There, he called Vai.

Vai had a surprise when her mobile began to ring in her school rucksack. Hastily, she picked it up, pressed a button and answered the call. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hi, Vai - it's me, Kai. How are you?" came her boyfriend's voice.

"Oh, Kai…I've been so upset. The thought of not seeing you again, and, and…" she broke off as a huge sob overwhelmed her, and her voice cracked.

Kai's quiet, serious voice became soft. "Don't cry," he soothed. "I've missed you, too. Everything's going to be okay, I promise. It's alright, Vai, because I'll be here for you - always. Shhh…"

Vai stopped crying at the sound of his soothing voice. "That's it, Vai. Remember, keep that smile on your face. You always do. And stay positive - we'll see each other again soon, okay?" Kai told her gently.

Vai, wiping her tears away, smiled. "Okay, Kai."

"Have you tried video messaging yet?" he asked her.

"Uh, no. What is it, anyway?" she wanted to know.

"It's when you talk one-on-one with someone and see and hear them talk at the same time," the boy explained patiently. "Why don't we try it now?"

Vai nodded. "Yeah!" Following Kai's instructions, she managed to switch her mobile from its normal call mode to its video messaging mode. Kai's face appeared on her screen. She gasped with excitement as he looked at her intently. "Wow, this is so cool! I can see you so clearly. Can you see me, too?" she asked him. He nodded.

"This is great - thanks, Kai!" Vai exclaimed. Kai laughed a small laugh, giving her a tiny smile. His cute smile made her blush deep red, and she flashed him a smile back. His cheeks, at this, became slightly pink. "You're blushing!" they told each other at the same time, and then burst out laughing.

As she said goodbye to Kai and turned her phone off, Vai's smile broadened. Thanks to seeing him again, she felt a lot happier, and her spirits were high again. _Thanks, Kai_, she said silently. _Thank you so much for speaking to me. I needed to hear your voice__…__hopefully, we__'__ll be together soon. _


	11. A Darkened Return

-1**Chapter Eleven - A Darkened Return:**

**Kai's Words And Vai's Tears**

The next morning, dressed in a white sailor suit-like sweatshirt with green cuffs and matching pleated skirt beneath, Vai was driven to Whitford High, the high school she was to attend. There were a few minutes left before the bell would ring and hail the students to registration, so she loitered around in the grounds, some distance from the other students that were clustered here and there in small groups outside the school. There was no one she knew, no one she could trust…She was jerked out of her thoughts as a black car pulled up beside the school gates. Funny, it seemed familiar -

A tall, slim boy alighted from the vehicle. He had scruffy silver hair, and his clear violet eyes studied the school intently, his gaze sweeping from student to student. Vai's heart missed a beat. It wasn't…It couldn't be - The boy's eyes fixed on her. A light shone in them. The light of recognition. "Kai!" Vai cried, tears in her eyes. As the black car sped off, Kai ran full-pelt toward her, and swept her up into his arms. He was dressed in a green school blazer, with a red tie and white shirt underneath. His dark grey trousers contrasted sharply with his light silver hair. "Oh, Kai, it's so good to see you again!" Vai whispered, tears of joy soaking him as she sobbed into his shoulder. Kai squeezed her in his arms, caressing her hair soothingly.

"It's good to see you, too," he replied. As the bell rang, hailing them to registration, Kai and Vai walked hand in hand into school. Knowing that Kai was in the same school as her helped Vai a lot. It was thanks to this that she got on well that morning in class, and she even made some new friends. She and Kai met up again at break. A brown-haired boy tagged along with her boyfriend. Vai looked at him curiously.

"Who's this?" she asked Kai.

"Wyatt Smithrite," Kai answered. "We met in Prep school two years ago. Apparently, he's my biggest fan." He sighed irritably, rolling his eyes.

Vai's eyes narrowed slightly. "You been annoying Kai?" she quizzed Wyatt suspiciously. The boy looked sheepish.

"I don't mean to," he told her. Vai sighed, looking from Wyatt to Kai. She looked at Kai straight in the eye.

"Come on, Kai, I know you like him really. Why don't you two make up?" she suggested. The two boys looked at each other for a moment, then at her. Finally, they clasped hands. Vai smiled. "That's it, guys."

Her smile brightened as she looked at Kai again. "It's good to have someone that admires you, Kai," she said to him. "Wyatt wants to be just like you, I bet. I bet he wants to follow in your footsteps and become a Champion Beyblader like you are. Don't you see? You're his idol, his model; you're the inspiration of his ambition. And for a Champion Blader like yourself to motivate things like this, I think it's great. You never know, Wyatt might yet be the new Tyson in Beyblading!" She smiled kindly at Kai. "And don't forget - _you__'__re _my hero, too." She held his hand lovingly.

Kai looked at her and nodded, giving her a tiny smile. Vai was right. It _was _a good thing that Champion bladers like him encouraged others to be the best. He squeezed her hand gently.

While this was going on, Wyatt's brown eyes darted from Kai's smile to their linked hands. He was confused. _Kai__'__s__…__smiling, _he thought, _I__'__ve never seen him do that or anyone make him smile__…__ They__'__re holding hands, too. What__'__s going on? _Wyatt looked at the softness in Kai's eyes. _It can__'__t be__…__ It couldn__'__t be__…__ He__'__s - They__'__re in love! _He glanced at Vai. _Who is she? And how does Kai know her in the first place? _

Vai saw Wyatt's perplexed face. Smiling kindly at him, she explained all about how she and Kai knew each other. "Childhood friend?" Wyatt asked. "But Kai's never told me about you…"

"That's because he didn't remember then," Vai told him patiently. "We reunited in the summer vacation, and I helped him get his memory back. I'm Violet Malakomi, Wyatt. Pleased to meet you. And, please, call me Vai."

Wyatt smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Vai," he responded. "As Kai said, I'm Wyatt." Just then, there were shouts of his name from some other boys. Wyatt hastily said goodbye, before rushing off to his friends. Vai looked at Kai intently.

"Have you remembered anything else of your past?" she asked.

Kai shook his head. "The blurred images of two faces looking down at me still foxes me. I can't seem to recall at all who they are."

Vai held both of his hands firmly. "Then, try!" she urged. "For me." Sighing, Kai closed his eyes and reached deep inside himself. He tried to remember, but the faces in his mind did not become apparent. Fiercely, he tried again. Suddenly, it all came flooding back. Memories of them when he was small, as a toddler…then, as a six-year-old… He realized who the faces were. His parents. His dead parents. He had finally unlocked his heart - and had rediscovered the forgotten memories hidden within.

His mother, whose name was Kyarra Hiwatari, had his violet eyes and the most beautiful, long brunette hair. His father, Kiochi, on the other hand, had his silver hair and clear auburn eyes. And they were looking down at him as he lay in the snow, no more than two years old. His body was shaking, he remembered. Shaking with laughter. They had had a snowball fight and he had fallen flat on his back in the deep snow, legs and arms splayed out. His silver hair was covered with snow, and looked almost white due to this. A stray snowflake landed on his nose. Little Kai sneezed, and the snow in his hair dusted his face. He looked so funny that Kyarra and Kiochi burst out laughing.Their son, aware of how silly he looked, also laughed. This was one of the most happiest memories he had of his parents and he almost smiled as he recalled it to Vai.

Other memories flooded back. Nearly all of them were happy, and Kai, for the first time in years, remembered them clearly. Gradually, he remembered almost all of his forgotten past. But there was a final fragment of it that he needed to become whole again, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Something was missing…something important… No matter how hard he tried, the memory didn't come. He sighed. Maybe it would come to him later.

At the end of school, Kai asked Vai as they met at the school gates, "You wanna see a movie tonight?"

Vai was surprised. "A movie? On a date?" she asked. She couldn't believe that Kai was asking her out.

He nodded. "Let's say it's my way of saying thank you for the date you took me on." Vai was thrilled. Eagerly, she accepted his offer, promising to meet him at the movie theatre as soon as she was ready. And she was as good as her word. She was at the cinema just as he arrived.

The two-hour movie was great. Vai and Kai had a good time watching it, although they spent most of the film kissing in their back seats. Kai had shown Vai his secret side once again and had become very affectionate. Vai was very delighted at him being like this, and responded eagerly to his kisses. Once the movie had finished, they kissed each other fondly, before going their separate ways back home.

For two months, Vai and Kai were at their happiest, spending time together at school and after school. Then, Kai was absent from high school almost a whole week. It was so sudden, that Vai became very anxious. Had something terrible happened? Was he critically ill? She had to know, so she decided to visit the mansion where Kai lived. It was on the outskirts of Moscow, and was called Hiwatari Mansion. She took a taxi and arrived there in no time at all.

Vai knocked on the large, wooden doors of the menacing house. The sound seemed to echo eerily in the silence, as if the mansion was empty. She shivered as she waited for someone to answer it, stood in the ankle-deep snow. It was the start of December, and the snow had already come to Russia. A chilling gale whipped snowflakes around, snow lashing her face. Vai pulled her fur coat tighter around her. Finally, with a shrieking creak, the huge mansion doors slowly swung open. A white-haired old man, dressed in a butler's suit, stood in the doorway. "What can I do for you, Miss?" he enquired politely.

"I wish to speak with Master Kai Hiwatari," Vai requested formally. "I have brought with me the homework he needs for this week. I am but a schoolmate calling in to make sure he keeps up with his education, as his grandfather would probably agree."

"Right this way, Miss," the butler nodded, gesturing for her to go inside. Vai walked through and the old man shut the doors behind them. They walked down a large corridor, lit by small lamps protruding from the walls either side of them. There was a door at the end of the corridor. The butler knocked sharply once, and a quiet, chilling voice answered, "Come in." Vai was led into the room, which was cold, draughty and almost empty, except for a window and a chair. And, sat in that chair, was Kai himself. The butler bowed once, then left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Why are you here?" Kai asked Vai, without turning away from the window.

"To give you your homework," Vai replied calmly. "You haven't been at school all week. What's wrong? Are you ill, or hurt?" Her friend said nothing, but slowly stood up from his seat and silently took the pile of books from her. Her anxiety mounted, and her chest tightened. She looked at him in concern.

"Kai - what's wrong with you? Why won't you look at me?" Vai asked, her voice choked with worry. Kai turned to face her, violet eyes flashing dangerously with a chilling light. His mouth was set in a grim, straight line, and his face was stony. He fixed her with a cold, grave stare, eyes heartless.

"You talk like we're friends," he snapped coldly. Vai's eyes widened in shock.

"But…we _are_ friends, Kai. Don't you see? I came here to see if you're okay, that's all. I care about you - I _love _you!" she told him, tears in her eyes. "Kai, _please_, tell me - what's wrong?"

Kai's eyes gazed soullessly at her, narrowing with hatred. "There was nothing between us, and there never will be. We're not friends - you're my enemy!" he told her chillingly. "Now - get out, I never want to see you again, _never_." Vai's legs buckled, and she fell to her knees, crying heart-brokenly. He cringed at the sound of her crying, but his icy stare did not waver. Her tears streamed down her cheeks, splashing the cold stone floor. "Get out!" Kai commanded sharply, his quiet, chilling voice dry.

"But Kai - "

"Get out _now_!" he ordered, voice cracking like a whip. Slowly, the heart-broken Vai stood up and walked out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder at him once, and saw the pain and fear that mingled with the cold, evil light in his violet eyes. He was being controlled. But by what, she didn't know. All she knew was, he was confused, thanks to whatever possessed him. All of a sudden, she heard something behind her.

Vai looked at the floor behind her. A Beyblade. A Beyblade blacker than night was following her, chasing her. She broke into a run, mind and heart racing. Black Dranzer was pursing her. But…it was destroyed, wasn't it? Her Bit Beast's squawk of fear filled her head. Black Dranzer had returned - like any phoenix, it could be reborn. She pelted down the corridor as fast as she could, but the blade remained on her tail.

As she burst out of the mansion doors, she heard Kai shout, "Black Wing Blade!"

There was a shrill, malevolent screech as Black Dranzer was released. Its black wings became lethal, dagger-like blades. Screaming, the Bit Beast advanced on her. It swooped in and attacked quickly and constantly, stabbing and tearing at her body. Blood flickered through the air, dripping on to the frozen ground. "Finish her!" Kai barked. Black Dranzer swooped in for a final attack.

The black phoenix slashed her breast, and her sharp scream pierced the silent, winter air as her blood spurted out in a deep, scarlet fountain, spattering and staining the snow. Covered in blood, the battered Vai fell lifelessly to the white ground. Kai's high, menacing laugh mingled with his black phoenix's merciless screech of cold victory.


	12. Vai's Faith And Kai's Kiss

-1

**Chapter Twelve - Vai's Faith **

**And Kai's Kiss**

Tyson snapped awake, breathing fast. He had just heard a scream in his sleep. A sharp scream of pain and agony. It still rang in his ears. _Vai! _he thought. _She__'__s in grave danger, I can feel it and so can Dragoon. That must mean__…__Black Dranzer__'__s been reborn! I must warn the others - and tell them to get to Russia as fast as they can. Vai needs us - and fast. _Not caring how early it was, he took up his mobile phone and rang his friends one by one, telling them of Black Dranzer's return. It turned out that their Bit Beasts had warned them just then, too, and they were all going to take the earliest flight possible to Russia. "Meet you in Moscow!" Tyson said, before switching his phone off.

There was a soft knock at the door. Kenny, Hilary and Daichi stood outside. "Let's go!" Hilary cried urgently, and they all ran at top speed to the airport. There, they boarded a flight to Russia. The flight was quick and uneventful. Once in Moscow, they met up with Max and Ray, before racing through the heavily falling snow to Hiwatari Mansion.

They averted their eyes from the pool of blood that spattered the floor, and concentrated on the battered body that lay inert beside it. Vai. Carefully, Ray gathered their friend up into his arms. With him carrying her, the team returned to the city. Immediately, they called an ambulance. The vehicle reached them in minutes and whisked Vai off to the hospital. The Bladebreakers waited in desperately anxious silence in the waiting room while their friend was examined and treated. Minutes ticked away, seeming like hours as they loitered for news on her condition. Tyson sighed. Vai had been so cold, and her face had been a deathly white with blue lips. He shivered as he recalled the nasty multitude of deep wounds that had covered her battered body. And she had been cold, cold as death. She had hardly seemed to breathe as Ray had carried her, she had lain so still, so lifelessly.

All their heads snapped up at once as the doctor stepped in to the room. "Is she…?" Hilary couldn't bring herself to say it, her voice cracking. The doctor shook his head.

"She's alive, but barely," he informed them all. "The girl has severe blood poisoning and has lost a critical amount of blood. For some inexplicable reason, she grows colder and paler every hour, yet her internal body temperature is warm. My colleagues and I think it has something to do with the poison in her blood…but somehow, she is holding on…Your friend is in a coma-like state, and cannot be awakened. If she keeps holding on, there's the chance she'll regain consciousness…but if she gives out…she will never wake." The man looked at them sympathetically. "We've done all we can for her," he told them the team gently. "It's up to her now…"

Tyson glanced at the floor sadly, trying desperately to think of a solution that would wake Vai. He straightened. There was only one way. To see Kai and tell him what happened. "We must go and tell Kai what's going on!" he whispered to Kenny. "He might be able to wake Vai up!" His friend nodded.

"Thanks a bunch," Hilary told the doctor. "Let us know if anything changes about Vai while we're gone." The man nodded, and bidded them a sincere farewell. Once they were out of the hospital, Tyson led them back to Hiwatari Mansion.

Not bothering to knock, the team burst through the mansion's great wooden doors. Tyson, following Dragoon's directions, found the room where Kai would be. They yanked the door open. Kai sat in a chair, gazing out of the window at the swirling snow. "You did that to Vai, didn't you?" Tyson told him in a quiet voice that shook with fury and disgust. "You hurt her, and poisoned her blood…poison that's slowly taking her life away every hour. Don't you see, Kai? She's dying in hospital because of you, _dying_."

Kai suddenly stood up. He whipped round to face the team, fear in his eyes. "She's…_what_?" he demanded.

"Dying," his team-mate repeated coolly. "Because of _you_."

Confusion filled him. _Dying? _Vai was dying? _But why__…__how? Tyson said_ - Kai glanced at the black, glittering Beyblade in his palm and saw with shock that it was covered in scarlet blood. Vai's blood. "No…" he said in an anguished whisper. "_No!_" Black Dranzer's utterly malevolent screech filled his head, sounding like mocking, evil laughter. _It used me_, Kai realised. _It controlled me__…__and it__'__s so powerful, that its attacks are poisonous and deadly enough to poison blood and kill! _"I must see her," he told Tyson urgently. "She needs me!" Tyson nodded, a smile of relief crossing his face. He had brought his friend back to his senses. There was no doubt that Black Dranzer had been controlling him, and had used him to hurt Vai.

_Poor Kai, _Tyson thought. _He won__'__t remember a thing about hurting her. And I__'__m sure glad he doesn__'__t. _"Let's go!" he announced. With Kai, he and the team ran out of the mansion.

At the hospital, Kai rushed straight to the Intensive Care Unit, where Vai was resting. She lay utterly still, pale and swathed in bandages. Kai's eyes filled with sadness. He gently touched her cold, pale cheek. "Oh, Vai," he whispered. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Gathering her into his arms, he held her close tenderly, nestling his face into her soft, silky raven hair. His body shook as he embraced her tightly.

"We've gotta defeat Black Dranzer, now more than ever," Tyson told his friends quietly. "And we need to do it fast - for Vai's sake, 'cause no one knows how much time she has left." The team members nodded grimly, except for Kai. He remained silent, holding Vai in his arms. They turned and looked at him intently. Aware of their eyes on him, Kai finally lifted a tear-streaked face to meet their gazes. Slowly, he nodded.

"I will fight with you," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. With that, they went outside again and the team faced Kai outside Hiwatari Mansion. "LET IT RIP!" they all shouted together. The moment it was released, Black Dranzer tried to regain its control over Kai. But Kai had also launched Dranzer, and so his mind was focussed on his own Bit Beast. He heard the black phoenix's squawk of frustration at being ignored, and smirked faintly. _You__'__re not getting me this time_, he thought. The Bladebreakers wore Black Dranzer down, until they were ready to use a final attack. Their four Bit Beasts - Dragoon, Dranzer, Draciel and Driger - attacked, as four blinding beams of blue, red, purple and green energy. Black Dranzer used its Special Attack. Lethal blades flew from its wings. Almost all the Bit Beasts were hit, except for Dranzer. Tyson, Ray and Max let out cries of pain as their Bit Beasts were stabbed by the blades.

Kai watched in horror as his friends collapsed to the ground. "Absorb them, Black Dranzer!" urged a voice he knew too well. "Absorb all of their Bit power!" _Grandfather_, he thought. All he could do was look on helplessly while his friends' Bit Beasts were sucked as energy beams into the black phoenix's body. Somehow, he and Dranzer stayed standing.

"I never thought it would come to this," Voltaire sighed, emerging out of the mansion to face Kai. "My own grandson against me. Why am I not surprised? Now - hand over your Bit power."

Kai shook his head. "No!" he snapped coldly. A sly smirk crossed Voltaire's sallow face. He sniggered menacingly.

"Let's add an incentive, shall we?" he sneered. The old man snapped his fingers. Two tough-looking men appeared behind him, dragging the lifeless form of Vai. One held a pistol to her temple.

Kai, his heart pounding, yelled furiously, "Let her go!" He lunged at the men, but the one holding the gun pulled the trigger and shot Vai in the arm. Her sharp scream pierced the air, full of agony and terror. Kai cringed at the sound, his heart aching for her.

"What's the matter, Kai?" his grandfather mocked. "Don't like seeing her suffer? Your one major weakness, the woman you love. And I thought you had no weaknesses at all." This just fuelled Kai's rage even more. He made to advance upon the men again, but the one holding the gun pressed it hard against Vai's temple, so blood trickled down the side of her head. She groaned. Kai winced visibly.

"Stop it!" he growled through clenched teeth.

"Give me Dranzer," Voltaire told him, "And she'll be spared."

"I'll give you a deal," Kai replied. "I'll battle Black Dranzer. If I lose, you can have Dranzer - and I can have Vai back. But if I win, I keep Dranzer, Vai is released, and you return the Bit Beasts to the team. What d'you say, Grandfather? Is it a deal?"

The old man accepted the challenge. "Deal." Kai looked at Dranzer Tempest. _I__'__m sorry, pal_, he thought. _But I have to do this. I love Vai too much to let her go__…__I hope you understand. I__'__m putting everything on the line for her - Dranzer, this might be our last battle together. Make it one that we__'__ll never forget! _

_Don__'__t worry, Kai! _Dranzer sang. _We can do it! Let__'__s go! _The phoenixes locked talons, and shot vertically into the air. They wrestled for control, beaks snapping and talons lashing. Their squawks echoed all around. Kai called upon Dranzer's Tempest Wing - and Black Dranzer countered with Thunderstrike Claw, Ray's move! The two blasts collided, causing shock waves to pulse through the air. The sheer force of them battered and tore Kai's body and clothing. His blood splashed the white ground in small droplets as cuts to his face and neck opened and bled. Dranzer clashed with Black Dranzer again, only to be thrown backwards by more shock waves. But Kai would not give in.

This time, he summoned the full power of his Special Attack. "Tempest Tremendous Wing!" his cry rang out. As a bolt of flame, his red phoenix shot straight at its evil opponent. But, once again, it was knocked off-course by the shock waves that Black Dranzer emitted to block attacks. Then, Black Dranzer counter-attacked. With amazing speed, it tore into Kai's phoenix, battering it again and again, shock waves adding to how much damage it caused. A final, huge shock wave hurled Dranzer and Kai away from their opponent, the sheer force of the wave sending them flying.

Kai crashed to the floor, laying deathly still. Nasty, deep cuts covered his face, open and bleeding, blood running in rivulets down his pale face. His clothes were tattered and torn, showing the multitudes of deep wounds that covered his battered body. His scarf, almost ripped to shreds, was stained with blood. He lay unmoving on the white ground, eyes closed.

The weak Vai's heartbeat began to slow, her breaths becoming fast and shallow. As if sensing this, Kai's eyes opened. His whole body throbbing, Kai, straining, stood up weakly. Using all the willpower he had left, he once again summoned the full power of Dranzer's Special Attack. _This is for you, my Vai! _he thought fiercely. The attack struck Black Dranzer with full force - power that struck it down. With a piercing screech of fury and pain, it disappated in to nothing, the Beyblade itself vanishing as it shattered. Black Dranzer was destroyed - and would never return.

The shocked men restraining Vai fled into the mansion, throwing her lifeless body to the ground. Kai stumbled over to her. He gathered her into his arms. He held her tightly and kissed her more fiercely than he had ever done before, putting all his heart and soul into that one long kiss. _Wake up, Vai! Please, wake up__…_he willed. _It__'__s over - wake up! _To his amazement, Vai's heart began to pump faster, until it reached its normal rate.

Vai opened her eyes, responding to his kiss. Kai caressed her tangled hair, still kissing her. Her blood stained his clothes, and his blood stained hers. She clung to him and, nestling her face into his wounded chest, began to cry. He buried his face into her hair, his own dishevelled silver hair contrasting sharply against the black colour of hers.

"It's alright, my Vai," Kai soothed, rocking her slightly in his arms as he cradled her tenderly. "I'm here now…no one can take you away from me, not even my grandfather. It's okay, shhhh…" He crooned softly, and her sobs lessened. His presence eased her pain and fear. He kissed her lovingly, before looking up at his grandfather. "Despite what you may believe, Grandfather," Kai hissed, "Love is not a weakness, it's a strength. I learned that from discovering my love for Vai - she's given me new life. And I won't let you take her away from me." He shot Voltaire a death glare, before slowly standing up and carrying Vai away without a backward glance. Voltaire stared after him in shock.

Meanwhile, the rest of the dazed team regained conciousness, looking around as they gradually remembered where they were. "Kai!" cried Tyson, catching sight of him with Vai in his arms. Tyson ran over to help his team-mate. His eyes widened in horror as he saw that his friends were dripping in blood. "What happened?" he asked.

Kai shook his head. "It's a…long story," he replied weakly. "Tell you later…Vai's hurt…I am, too…we need rest…" Tyson put an arm around his team-mate's shoulders and supported him as they walked back to Moscow, with the rest of the team following close behind them.

Kai was exhausted by the time they had reached Moscow. Vai slept in his arms, as he had soothed her to sleep. They had both lost a lot of blood - and she needed the rest more than he did. _I__'__m so weak_, he thought, _I can__'__t walk anymore__…_Kai's vision blurred and span as he swayed weakly. _Vai__…__no! _he cried out silently as he felt her slipping from his arms, while he fell backwards, his strength gone. Darkness engulfed him as he passed out.

Tyson caught Kai as he collapsed. "Hang in there, buddy," he said softly. "Help's on the way…he tired himself out helping Vai, poor guy." While he supported Kai's limp form, Ray carried Vai carefully but firmly in his arms.


	13. A Phoenixes' Love

**Chapter Thirteen - A Phoenixes' Love**

Kai opened his eyes slowly. He lay in a hospital bed, screened by blue-white curtains. An oxygen mask covered his mouth. He raised a hand to touch the nasty scratch that ran over his right eye and felt a thick dressing instead. It had been completely covered so he could only see out of his left eye. His black coat and purple shirt had been removed and his chest was swathed in thick bandages, aching as he moved to sit up. His head span and throbbed painfully as he sat upright in bed, making him feel dizzy. He placed a hand to his aching head and noticed a tube taped to the back of it, attached to a drip. _I must have lost a lot of blood to need a drip_, Kai observed. _That_ was _some battle__…_

The boy glanced at the bed beside his and saw Vai lying utterly still, as if in a deep sleep. Like him, she was also covered in bandages and was attached to a drip. Her face was no longer pale, he observed, and she looked peaceful as she slept. The room was silent except for the constant, steady _beep_, _beep_ of their heart monitors. As the ache in Kai's head lessened and his dizziness subsided, Tyson entered the room. "Hey, buddy," he greeted Kai cheerfully. "How're you feeling?"

"Weak," Kai admitted, "And I'm aching all over…and I keep feeling dizzy." His voice came out as barely a whisper. He glanced at Vai again. His voice was anxious as he spoke to Tyson. "What about Vai's blood poisoning? Is there a chance that she'll fight it off? And me - did I get blood poisoning, too?"

Tyson smiled. "Hey, dude - relax!" he laughed. "Everything's okay. Vai's fought off the poison and you didn't get it at all. Thanks to you, we've all got our Bit Beasts back!" He put a hand on Kai's shoulder. "You should get some rest, Kai," he advised. "You an' Vai are gonna be just fine."

Kai nodded gratefully, his eyes suddenly very heavy. With a long sigh, he slumped back into the pillow, exhausted. Tyson's beam broadened. "Rest easy, guys," he whispered, before creeping to the door and slipping silently out of the room.

Vai awoke a little later, and Kai also awoke from his sleep. Their sleepy violet eyes were passionate as they gazed at each other. "I'm so glad you're okay," Kai whispered to her, reaching to touch her warm cheek gently. "Vai, I'm really sorry about what I did to you…I didn't mean to…Black Dranzer made me…"

Vai caressed his silver hair, smiling gently at him. "Don't worry, Kai," she reassured him quietly. "I know it wasn't your fault. All that matters to me is that we're together again - and everything's okay." She stifled a yawn. "I'm tired. I think I'll sleep for a while…" She closed her eyes and slept.

Kai smiled a tiny, loving smile at her, eyes soft. "Sleep well, Vai," he whispered, before going to sleep himself. They had lost a severe amount of blood in the battle, so they were very weak and needed to rest for a while before they would be okay again. They were getting better slowly, and were a little stronger each day as the week went on. The team came to see them now and again while they recovered.

At one such time, Mr. Dickenson also visited Kai and Vai. "You two were very brave," he told them. "And I'm proud of you for that. That was a courageous thing you did, Kai. Going against your own grandfather and risking your life to save Vai…and also well done to her for holding on, even when she knew her life was slipping away…"

Vai beamed with pride. "I held on because I knew Kai would come through," she said. "Because I believed in him." She looked at her boyfriend passionately. "Thank you."

Kai nodded, gazing at her affectionately. Mr. Dickenson hid a smile. _Young love_, he thought. _The love between them is true, and will probably last for always__…__Good luck, Kai and Vai. _

Kai and Vai's recovery was gradual, but after another week of bedrest they were allowed to leave the hospital. As it was a weekend, they didn't have to go to school. But what was even better was that it was the Christmas holidays, so there was no high school for two whole weeks. For them, it was like old times. For the first time in years, they played together in the snow; building a snowman and bombarding each other with snowballs.

A snowball flew out of nowhere to smack Vai hard on the back of the head. She pitched forward, landing face-first in the snow. Slowly she pushed herself upright, looking around suspiciously for the person who had thrown the snowball at her. Her cheek smarted as yet another snowball hit her, water and ice sliding down her face and neck. A final snowball struck her full in the face, causing her to fall backwards into the snow. As she wiped the cold snow from her face while she lay there, she heard someone's quiet, amused laughter as they bent over her. Warm, gentle lips brushed her cold ones soothingly as they kissed her.

Without even opening her eyes, Vai threw her arms around the person's neck, caressing their soft hair. Gently, the person's gloved hand brushed the snow from her eyes so she could open them. Violet eyes so like her own gazed at her. Vai smiled. Kai. It was he who had been throwing the snowballs at her. And he had managed to avoid her sight as he had done so. Vai laughed as Kai's kiss became fiercer. She responded to it, returning his touch. Then their lips loosened and they stopped kissing. "Okay, Kai," Vai giggled. "You win this time!"

"This is the greatest time I've ever had playing in the snow, Kai," Vai told him softly as they sat on the metal railings outside her house, their arms around each other. She sighed dreamily. "Just like the good old days, but better." An idea struck her and she looked at her boyfriend intently. "Wouldn't it be cool if the Bladebreakers could stay in Moscow for Christmas at my house? I'm sure my parents will agree," Vai suggested brightly. "And you'd come too, wouldn't you?" Kai nodded in agreement, replying that he liked the idea very much. What was even better was that his grandfather allowed him to do as he pleased in the holidays, so he would be able to stay at Vai's for Christmas with the team. Vai's heart leaped with excitement. This was going to be the best Christmas ever!

The team, upon hearing that they were to stay in Russia for Christmas, could hardly contain themselves. They were thrilled at the thought of two whole weeks of snow and celebration.

On the run-up to Christmas Eve, the team helped to put up the Christmas tree, decorate it and hang up their stockings by the fireplace in the living room. Any time between that was spent playing out in the snow. There were snowball fights, snowman building competitions and even Beyblade battles in the snow and on the ice. Vai often had an advantage in these battles, as her Bit Beast was an ice phoenix. Max and his water turtle Bit Beast, Draciel, broke the ice in battles and used the water from it to create their Special Attack, Tsunami Strike. Ray's white tiger Bit Beast Driger used the ice as a conductor for its Thunderstrike Claw to get the upper hand in battle, while Kai's phoenix simply melted the ice when it used its Tempest Wing. Dragoon and Daichi's Strata Dragoon created chilling ice winds to use their attacks, which were Typhoon Twister and Tornado Tirade.

The snow and ice battles were fun and the friends loved playing about on the frozen terrain. Some battles even took place in the tundra - the short, frozen grasses of Russia. Vai and Kai enjoyed every moment, as did their team. For the first time in years, they were spending time together and playing with each other in their own country. Christmas Eve finally came, and they settled down in their makeshift beds in the living room as night fell.

"Kai, this has been the best Christmas vacation I've ever had!" Vai cried, throwing her arms around him. She held him close, hugging him tightly, stroking his silver hair. "Seeing you again and being with you after all these years is the greatest Christmas present of all," she whispered, squeezing him in her arms. She felt him fasten his arms about her waist and squeeze her back. Vai kissed him firmly on the lips, before slowly letting go.

Kai kissed her goodnight as she lay down in her makeshift bed. "Sleep well, my Vai," he told her softly. One by one, the team fell asleep and the room was silent.

Vai awoke to a pale, faint sun shining into the room. She sat up, brushing sleep from her eyes. The Christmas tree, decorated and lit up, stood in the corner of the room, its lights twinkling like stars. The stockings that hung from the fireplace looked fat, bulging with gifts and sweets. And more presents were under the Christmas tree. Just as she crawled out of bed, the rest of the team awoke. There were yawns and mumbles from her friends as they sat up and looked around. Once everyone was awake, they started to open their presents.

Vai picked up her first present, looking at the label, which said it was for her and was signed _Hilary_. Carefully, she tore the wrapping paper open, and a violet cotton robe, together with a purple sash and some sandals, slithered out. She gasped. It was a kimono. These, she knew, were very expensive and valuable in Japan. "Oh, Hilary," Vai breathed, "Thank you!"

Hilary smiled. "It's a _yukata_ - a summer cotton kimono," she explained. "You can wear it when you visit us next summer." There were lots of more great gifts to come for Vai. She got a red silk Chinese dress from Ray, a box full of spare Beyblade parts and Beyblade matinence tools from Kenny, a purple neck-tie from Max, an amethyst necklace from Tyson and two lilac wristbands from Daichi. There was one gift missing…Kai hadn't given her one.

"I thought I'd save the best 'til last," he said calmly, handing her a cube-shaped present. Vai ripped the wrapping paper away and a box came out. She opened it and took out the egg-shaped object inside. It was a beautiful music box, designed to replicate a Faberge egg. Its top half was a hinged glass lid, while the bottom half was of plated gold. Vai lifted the glass lid and caught her breath at the two phoenixes inside, which were touching beaks, their necks arched as they did so in the shape of a heart. A small plaque on the bottom half of the music box caught her eye. _A Phoenixes__'__ Love_, she read. _For Vai Malakomi, Love from Kai Hiwatari. Our love began Once Upon A December - Merry Christmas. _Vai turned the key in the music box, winding it up. The moment she released the key, the wonderful song of _Once Upon A December _filled the air. As the tune played, the two phoenixes inside the music box turned slowly round and round with the music.

Vai looked up at Kai, tears in her eyes. "Oh Kai, it's so beautiful…" she whispered. "Thank you."

"I knew you'd like it," Kai answered softly. "The moment I saw it, it reminded me of you - and how much I love you." Vai threw her arms about his neck, tears of joy flowing down her cheeks. She hugged him for a bit, before letting go and giving him a small, brown box.

"For you," she smiled. Kai opened the box to find a gold oval-shaped locket inside. "Now you've got one, too!" Vai added. A faint smile touched Kai's lips as he put the necklace around his neck and looked at the photos inside it; of him and her at the age they were now.

"It's great," he told Vai, pleased. "Thank you." Everyone enjoyed the presents they received from each other. They spent the whole day celebrating and playing out in the snow.

Once the winter vacation had ended, the friends bid each other farewell before going their separate ways back to their own countries. It had been an unforgettable Christmas for all of them, especially for Kai and Vai. For the first time in ages, they had spent Christmas with each other.


	14. Mysterious Menace

**Chapter Fourteen - Mysterious Menace **

Vai woke up to Kai's kiss with a start, breathing fast. "It's alright," Kai whispered, holding her tight soothingly. Her tense body relaxed in his embrace, her breathing slowing to its normal rate. "It was just a dream," her boyfriend reassured her. "Don't worry…I'm sure it won't happen."

For two nights now, Vai had been disturbed by nightmares of Kai being mortally wounded and lying dead on the floor, dripping in blood. These sickening visions struck terror and despair in to her heart.

Vai burst into tears. Kai held her close, stroking her glossy, tangled raven hair. "I know, Vai, I know," he murmured, squeezing her gently in his arms. He rocked her slightly, crooning reassurances, love, devotion and passion in his quiet, serious voice.

Vai's sobs faded as Kai hugged her. He soothed her tears and gently brushed them away as they fell down her cheeks. He still held her tight as she fell back to sleep, letting her know that she was safe with him and everything was going to be alright.

The next day, Kai returned to Hiwatari Mansion to hear some terrifying news. Vai also heard about it, watching it on television. A mysterious, unknown person was targeting Beybladers all over the country. Vai felt herself recoil as they showed bodies of bladers that had had their throats slitted. A shiver trickled down her spine. The cuts were the same size as a Beyblade, deep and bloody. Who could have done this? Other unscathed bodies were shown too. They were even worse than the mutilated ones. There was not a scratch on them, yet their skin was deathly pale and shrivelled, their face skeletal, with lifeless, staring eyes almost popping out of the skull; the mouth gaping open in a silent scream. It turned out that the numbers of deaths were low although many had been attacked and were either in hospital in a critical condition or in special care, as some victims were seemingly unhurt, but were lifeless and unfeeling…and couldn't do anything for themselves; as if their very soul had left them, but their body still lived on.

Vai shuddered at how blank their eyes were. _It__'__s like living death_, she thought, grimacing. It was obvious that a Beyblader was doing this, a very strong Beyblader. But who were they - and why were they killing innocent Beybladers? Suddenly, the nightmare she had been having for so many nights now made chilling sense. _Kai__'__s blank eyes wide in his pale, skeletal face__…__blood gushing from his gaping mouth and the huge gash in his cut-open neck, staining the floor__…__his body utterly still, lifelessly inert__…_Heart pounding, Vai shook the memory of the nightmare out of her mind. _Pull yourself together_, she told herself firmly. _It__'__s just a dream__…__a stupid, unreal dream. _"It won't happen," she announced aloud. "It will _not_ happen…not happen to Kai Hi…Hiwata…" The girl broke off as her voice cracked and she let out a cry that was nearly a sob of despair, before bursting into tears.

The next day, at Whitford High, Vai told Kai and Wyatt about her nightmare and how she had suddenly been struck by the terrifying way it was related to what had been happening to Beybladers in Russia and the world. She broke down in tears as she concluded her explanation. The girl was taken into an embrace, warmth surrounding her. She snuggled against Kai's chest while he soothed her in a soft murmur. "I just couldn't bear to lose you, Kai," she sobbed, her voice cracking. "I wouldn't live…" She was racked by anguished sobs, her cries of despair tugging at Kai's heart. Wyatt was deeply moved by her love for Kai. He brushed a tear from his eye while Kai's embrace around Vai became protective.

"I know how you feel," Kai told Vai softly. "I would be lost without you…you mean everything to me." She shivered as a chilling gale ripped through the school grounds. Kai wrapped his school blazer around her, pressing her against his warm chest. She cried even harder and with more anguish into his chest, soaking him with her tears. "I know, Vai, I know…" Kai crooned in Russian, stroking her hair and rubbing her shoulders affectionately. "Shhhh…I'm here. Don't cry, it's okay." He kissed her, long and firmly. His gentle touch soothed her pain and hushed her sobs.

Vai relaxed as he held her, safe and warm. She leaned against his comforting body, snuggling into his chest. With a long sigh, she closed her eyes. She breathed softly in deep, rhythmic breaths.

"She's…asleep," Wyatt breathed.

Kai nodded, placing a finger to his lips. He rocked her slightly in his arms, and she drifted into a deeper sleep. "She needs it," he whispered. "School's finished now, so let's take her home."

Vai slept on peacefully in her bed back at her house. Kai and Wyatt watched over her as she slept, Kai stroking her hair gently, the soft black strands like silk running through his fingers.

Slowly, Vai's eyes opened. "Kai? Wyatt?"

"It's good to see you're awake," Wyatt told her cheerfully, smiling at her.

"How do you feel?" Kai asked her calmly.

"Fine," his girlfriend answered, smiling at both him and Wyatt. "Thanks for watching over me." The two boys nodded, accepting her thanks. Vai was no longer upset and felt refreshed, thanks to her sleep. Just then, Wyatt's mobile phone sounded out its ringtone. Hastily, Kai's friend trotted out of the room to answer the call. While he was doing that, Kai laid his hand on top of Vai's.

"I'll find out who's been attacking bladers, don't worry," he reassured her. "And I'll make sure that they don't hurt me or you, I promise." He held up his little finger. "Pinky swear on it." Vai nodded, wrapping her own little finger around his. They gently shook fingers. They let go, and Kai kissed Vai's cheek passionately. "I'll always protect you, my Vai, I swear it," he told her fiercely. "I'll always be there for you…" They embraced, Vai kissing Kai on the lips affectionately with a long, firm kiss. He responded to it, his lips returning her touch as he kissed her back.

They stopped kissing as Wyatt burst into the room. "Got to go!" he told them quickly. "I'll see you two at school tomorrow!" With that, he rushed off without a backward glance. Kai and Vai stared after him for a moment, before bursting out laughing.

Kai's mobile phone began to ring, vibrating in his pocket. He quickly took it out and answered the call. Tyson's face appeared on the screen.

"Kai, Kenny's found out some important information on the person that's been attacking bladers," he said. "Apparently, he's about our age, he's Russian and his name is Damian. He calls himself the Soul Stealer. Damian has made many appearances in Japan - and people say he's black-haired, has grey eyes and wears a grey cloak."

Kai nodded.Vai, peering over his shoulder, also listened to Tyson.

"At the moment, he hasn't reached Tokyo yet - he's just been attacking bladers on the islands around Japan," Tyson explained. "Ray says it's the same with China, that he's striking on the towns and villages around Beijing and hasn't reached where he lives. It's gone like this for Max in America too. So far, everyone's okay."

"We're okay, too," Vai replied. "Moscow hasn't been touched, but St. Petersburg has suffered a lot lately."

Tyson looked relieved, nodding. "Sounds good to me," he smiled. "Keep a look-out for this Damian - he's very dangerous. And remember what I told you about what he looks like."

"We will!" Kai and Vai answered together.

"If anything happens, I'll let you know," Tyson told them, beaming. "See ya, guys!"

The screen went blank. Kai and Vai looked at each other and smiled. It was good to know that all their friends were okay. Thanks to Kenny's description of the Soul Stealer, they would be able to keep a look-out for him and warn the team of his location. And if Damian came their way, they would show him that they weren't to be messed with.

The following day, as Kai and Vai trudged through the heavily falling snow to Hiwatari Mansion after school, a glittering, black Beyblade zipped past Vai to land at her feet. Then without warning, it flew straight for her neck. Reacting quickly, Kai launched Dranzer Tempest. His dark blue blade collided with the other blade fiercely, inches away from Vai's throat. Dranzer, in a single hard push, sent its opponent flying. A figure emerged out of the thick snow and the black blade shot to the person's palm with a loud slap. A boy with short black hair approached them, his hooded grey cloak whipping about in the chilling gale that whirled the snow around.

"What d'you think you're doing, attacking Vai like that?" Kai demanded coldly. He shot the stranger a death glare and the boy quickly averted his eyes. "You're Damian, aren't you?" Kai snapped. "What's your game?"

Damian sniggered nastily. "You're my two next victims," he smirked. "The girl was first on my list but as you seem willing to protect her, I'll have you instead." He raised his Beyblade. It was made of a clear black stone and its inner depths glowed faintly, as if it had a life of its own.

Shivers trickled down Vai's spine as she looked at it. "This is my blade, Shadow Demon," Damian told her icily, his grey eyes flinty as he gazed at her. "Observe, girl, its power - because you'll be next."

Kai stood in front of Vai defensively, his launcher held out at the ready. "Don't you _dare_ talk to her like that," he spat. "She has nothing to do with this - leave her alone. It's _me_ you should be worried about!"

Vai was surprised at his sudden protectiveness over her. "Kai…" she breathed.

"I promised I'd protect you," Kai told her in a whisper that only she heard. "And that's what I'm gonna do."


	15. A Crushed Spirit

**Chapter Fifteen - A Crushed Spirit**

"LET IT RIP!" Kai and Damian yelled together, launching their Beyblades. Dranzer and Shadow Demon clashed fiercely, metal grinding against stone, sparks flying in all directions. Kai summoned his Special Attack. As a bolt of red flame, his Beyblade flew at Damian's stone blade. Damian smirked slyly. His blade's inner depths flared with a sudden blinding energy and there was a brilliant flash, followed by deafening crackling.

When he opened his eyes Kai found Dranzer at his feet, wobbling uncontrollably. Relieved that his Beyblade was still going, he came in for the attack again.

Once more, Damian's Shadow Demon blade did the same thing as last time; and was seemingly unscathed from the attack and Dranzer, instead of wobbling, was steady but was badly damaged. It seemed that Shadow Demon somehow absorbed attacks and bounced them right back at the opponent. The first time, Dranzer had managed to fend it off - but now, it had been struck by its own attack, sustaining bad damage. A shock wave had emitted from Damian's blade, blasting both Kai and Dranzer away from it. The sheer force of the wave had taken a chunk of Dranzer and had battered Kai severely from head to toe.

Covered in deep wounds, Vai's boyfriend slowly and weakly rose to his feet, wiping the blood that dripped down his chin from his cut lower lip. He panted noticeably, shaking with exhaustion. His silver hair was dishevelled and dark with sweat; his clothes torn and tattered.

"Face it," Damian smirked. "You're no match for me."

Kai smirked back, equally as menacing. "You have no clue of my power," he replied, voice a harsh whisper. "Go, Dranzer - Tempest Tremendous Wing!"

His dark blue Beyblade, blazing with mystical flame, shot at Shadow Demon. His red-gold flaming phoenix appeared briefly, letting out a fierce, challenging screech as it headed straight for its evil opponent. There was a flash the split-second before Kai's blade would strike and a giant shock wave pulsed through the air.

"Is that all you've got?" mocked Damian as Kai was hurled violently off his feet.

As he hurtled through the air, Kai saw, in a haze, his Beyblade shatter into tiny pieces. But what he saw so vividly was the Bit Chip breaking; the part that witheld his Bit Beast's power. He heard Dranzer's heart-rending scream as the Bit Chip broke and knew that he had not only lost the fight, but his Bit Beast as well. He held a hand outstretched, as if to catch the pieces as they fell, his silent, anguished cry full of agony and loss. Losing a Bit Beast was like losing blood, a part of yourself; a Beyblader was never whole without their Bit Beast. Darkness engulfed Kai as he landed heavily on to the white ground.

"No!" Vai screamed in anguish, running to his motionless form in the deep snow. She cradled him in her arms, burying her face in to his soft silver hair. She sobbed heart-brokenly.

"Broken spirit…" she heard Damian mutter to himself. "Not worth stealing…broken soul's no use to me…he's as good as dead anyway…"

When Vai looked up, he had completely disappeared. Not even a trace of the battle remained. It was as if he had not been there in the first place. Vai shivered inwardly. Taking off her fur coat, she wrapped it around Kai's cold inert body. He needed it more than she did. With that, she carried him away and took him to her house.

_I__'__ll be there for you Kai_, Vai thought as she dressed his wounds while he lay, still unconscious by the fire in the living room. _You were there for me when I was hurt. Now it's my turn…I'll give you all the love you need. _

Once she had finished bandaging his wounds she sat by his side, watching the flames dance in the fireplace, holding his limp cold hand. She stroked his dishevelled silver hair lovingly with her other hand. Kai opened his eyes as Vai lay a thick blanket over him.

He sat up, wincing, placing a hand to his bandaged chest and grunting slightly in pain. Vai wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him with relief but she didn't dare, fearing that she would hurt him even more. Instead, she gently lifted his hand from his chest and placed her own where his had been. The warmth of her hand eased his pain. She felt him relax and looked into his eyes. They were so dull, so lifeless and despondent; Damian had been right. His spirit _was_ broken. Broken because he had lost Dranzer. The only thing, she knew, that was keeping him going was his love for her. It was the only part of him he had left. Her. Thinking of how spiritually and emotionally hurt he was made tears well up in her eyes. They streamed down her face.

"Shhhh…don't cry… " Kai's gentle fingers carefully brushed the tears from her eyes, smoothing them from her cheeks.

Vai gave him a small watery smile. Kai was right. He didn't want her to be unhappy…she needed to be strong for him so he could recover from his wounds and the crushing defeat he had faced.

Later, Vai called Tyson on her mobile phone and told him what had happened between Kai and Damian.

"So you say the attacks just went through - and bounced back to Kai and Dranzer?" Tyson asked.

Vai nodded. Tyson's face looked thoughtful on her screen as he tried to work out what was going on.

"It's certainly not Damian who's deflecting the attacks, by the sound of it," he finally replied after a minute of consideration. "It has to be his Bit Beast, which you said was called Shadow Demon. It must have some kind of ability that allows it do this…I'll get Kenny to look into it. This sure is getting serious, Vai…Kai must be hurt real bad. Let me know how he does and I'll get back to you on Damian's Bit Beast. I'll be in touch if there are any attacks on our friends, okay? See ya!"

"Bye, Tyson!" Vai responded, before turning her phone off. She looked at Kai, who had fallen asleep while she had been talking to her friend. She stroked his silver hair. _I hope Kenny can find a way of defeating Shadow Demon_, she thought. _For Kai__'__s sake, and the team__'__s. _


	16. The Soul Stealer Strikes Again

**Chapter Sixteen - The Soul Stealer Strikes Again **

Mariah watched Ray teaching little kids that lived in their small isolated mountain village in China how to Beyblade. A loving smile of pride touched her lips. She sighed dreamily, remembering when she and Ray had been that small and how he had taught _her_ the basics of Beyblading. Those had been the good old days…and how their love had formed; their childhood friendship had got so strong, that they trusted each other with their lives. And it was because of that trust, that bond that they had begun to love each other. _That love still lives on_, Mariah reflected. _We__'__ve been going out for almost four years now__…_Her smile broadened. _It__'__s so nice to see him teaching the kids of the village how to Beyblade. I love it how Ray - _

Her thoughts were suddenly broken off as something very heavy bashed her hard on the back of her head. She screamed in pain and was silenced abruptly as she was knocked out. The girl fell limply to the ground with a dull thud.

The boys and girls Ray had been teaching now went join their friends to play in the hills, as their lesson was over. Ray looked around for Mariah, for he had seen her watching him whilst he had taught the kids. He glanced about, calling her name. His calls echoed in the almost empty village square, receiving no answer. A slight frown creased his forehead. Where in White Tiger Hills was she?

"Mariah, where are you? Mariah! Hello? Mari - " He stopped as he saw something that made his heart miss a beat. "Mariah, _no_!" he whispered in horror.

Mariah lay unmoving on the ground, her normally tied-back red hair loose and tangled. Red strands were plastered across her cut face. Blood soaked the back of her head, making her hair seem a darker shade of red. Spots of blood stained the ground.

Hot tears of rage and sorrow stung Ray's orange eyes. _The Soul Stealer did this_, he thought. _He did this to my Mariah, my dear, poor Mariah__…_ Ray pressed her limp hand to his cheek and a tear rolled down his face to splash her fingers. His anguished shout shattered the peacefulness of the quiet mountain air.

In the USA, in his hometown of New York City, Max walked home from a busy day at high school with his friend Alan. Once they reached his house, Max waved a quick goodbye to his friend and hurried inside. He tried to enter the kitchen but the door would not open.

He hurled himself against the door with all his strength, and still it wouldn't budge. Max was baffled as he stood in front of the door. Why wouldn't it open?

Once again, he hurled his body against the door. This time, whatever held it shut seemed to give way and the door swung open. Just as he entered the room, he saw at once the cause of the shut door. His mum lay motionless to one side. Her body had been against the door, jamming it shut. She seemed unhurt. Max shook her gently. "Mum, wake up!"

It was then that she rolled over from his excessive shaking. Judy's eyes were white, completely blank and lifeless in her deathly pale face. She just stared at the ceiling. Her body and face were so skeletal, that Max, totally freaked out, retreated right back against the wall. Was she dead or unconscious? Who knew…

Kenny's face was grim as he put the phone receiver down. "Ray and Max just called," he told Tyson seriously. "They've been attacked."

Tyson's head snapped up from his homework at once. "Who?" he asked urgently. "Who's been attacked?"

"Mariah and Max's mum, Judy," the Chief replied quietly. "Mariah's been knocked out and Judy's…well, Max can't exactly say if she's dead or alive, she's so lifeless."

Tyson shook his head. "This is terrible… We need to be ready, 'cause everyone in the team except us has been attacked. We'll be next!"

Kenny nodded in agreement.

But when the attack came, they were not even near ready. A Beyblade crashed through the dojo wall, splintering the wood. It sliced through Mister Granger's kendo sword as he raised it to defend himself. The sword in pieces, the blade then proceeded to attack Tyson's grandpa. The old man, defenceless, fell to the ground, seriously hurt. And it happened right before Tyson, Kenny and Daichi's very eyes. Stricken, the three boys rushed to the old man's side. "Daichi, call an ambulance," Tyson instructed his red-haired friend. "Me and Kenny'll take care of Grandpa." As quick as a flash, Daichi obeyed. The ambulance was there within minutes and Grandpa was rushed to the hospital.

There were reports on the TV from all over the world about the Soul Stealer. Global intelligence agents were unable to trace Damian, as he left no footprint, no mark upon his victims; nothing but the mutilated or dead remains. No one could stop him. The whole world was helpless. Tyson, Ray, Max, Kenny, Hilary, Daichi and Vai all watched these reports, each thinking the same thought: _As proven by Kai, no one can take the Soul Stealer on their own. But what about a team? Surely a team would stand a better chance? The Bladebreakers _must _reunite, before anything else happens to any of us. It__'__s the only way! _

Kenny made Tyson, Ray, Max, Vai and Kai new Beyblades. He sent them off to China, America and Russia, hoping they would receive them safely. He also hoped that the new Dranzer he had constructed would bring the life back into Kai's eyes and heal his broken soul.

Vai looked at Kai as he slept in his makeshift bed. His wounds were almost fully healed, to her relief. He stirred, his eyes opening and he moved to sit up. Vai carefully lay him down again. "Kai, be still and rest," she whispered. "Your wounds aren't fully healed yet. Give them time."

She stifled a yawn, her eyes heavy. She had stayed up most of the night with him, never leaving his side. An arm snaked around her waist and Kai pulled her gently down to lie beside him. Too tired to object, Vai let herself be pulled toward him once she was lying down. The moment she felt his warm body against hers, she almost instinctively curled up against his chest. The girl fell asleep straightaway, worn out. Kai, because he was still weak from his battle, was drained by the effort of getting her to lie next to him and also slipped into a deep sleep with one relaxed arm around his girlfriend.

Vai awoke, brushing sleep from her eyes. She blinked in the soft, faint light of the pale morning sun as its thin rays streamed from the living room window. She jolted upright. _Morning_. It was morning. She stifled a yelp. She had school to go to - and had slept almost all day yesterday, thanks to tending to Kai the previous night!

_I must__'__ve been really tired_, the girl thought, frantically rushing to her bedroom to dress for school. In her Whitford High uniform, Vai hurried back downstairs. She glanced at the still, peacefully sleeping Kai in the living room and felt a sharp pang. Although she was reluctant to leave him, she knew that she _had_ to go to school. Her mother saw looking regretfully at her boyfriend and gave her daughter an understanding look.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," her mum told her. "I know how you feel. Kai needs you."

Vai looked at the woman gratefully. "Thanks Mum."

Then she bounded upstairs to change back into normal clothes. That very same day, a small parcel arrived from Japan. As she sat beside Kai, Vai excitedly opened it. A note slithered out, followed by two small boxes. One was for Kai, the other for her. She read the note to see that it was from Kenny. He had constructed new Beyblades for them to fight the Soul Stealer with. In the letter, she also read that the team were going to reunite in an attempt to bring down Damian - they were to meet in Central Park Monday of the next week. _Please let me know if Kai__'__s up to it_, Vai read. _Knowing him, he__'__d never back down from a challenge like this. I hope the new Dranzer I sent for him lifts his spirits. See you next Monday. - Kenny - (AKA The Chief)_

Vai's gaze rested on the box in her hand with the label that read _For Vai_. She carefully tore away the tape sealing it shut and lifted the cardboard flaps. Inside, covered in protective see-through packaging, was her new Beyblade. She took it out, scrutinising it closely. It certainly looked powerful. Vai felt her old Beyblade glowing in her pocket and saw the Bit Chip of the blade in her hand flash. She looked at it intently again to see that the image of a sapphire-blue phoenix had appeared, wings folded and stray feathers flew around it as it dived in for the attack. "Icefire 2," Vai read the words on the bright decals of her new Beyblade out loud. She smiled to herself. _Icefire 2_, she thought. _I like it__…__I like it a lot. My new, powerful blade. Thanks, Kenny! I owe you one. _Icefire 2 glinted in the winter sunlight, sparkling like a real sapphire itself. Her smile broadened. Kai stirred, his eyes flickering open. He sat up slowly.

"Vai?" he asked.

Vai's eyes shone, her face lighting up at once as she saw the faint but unmistakable light of life in his sleepy violet eyes.

"Oh, Kai…my _Kai_…" she breathed happily, joyfully taking him into an embrace. Her spirits soared when she felt him hug her back. His broken spirit was healing! She kissed him fondly on the lips, before letting go of him slowly.

His eyes came to rest on the small cardboard box that lay beside his bed. Kai reached out and collected it up. Seeing that it was for him, he hastily opened it. He took out the Beyblade inside. Life shone in his eyes as he studied the new Dranzer intently. The Bit Chip flashed blindingly.

When the dazzled teen opened his eyes, he saw with excitement that a red-gold phoenix had appeared upon the Beyblade's Bit Chip. _Dranzer! _he cried, overjoyed. His beloved Bit Beast sang a warm note of greeting to him in his head. It had been reborn…reborn from the ashes. More powerful than ever. Kai caught Vai in a passionate, tight embrace. Vai sobbed into his shoulder with tears of joy, overwhelmed with happiness. Kai's broken soul was whole again - and he was on the road to recovery.

After that Kai's wounds mended rapidly, fullly healing after a day of rest. It had been thanks to Vai, Kenny's construction of Kai's new blade and Dranzer's return that Kai recovered quickly and successfully. It was so good to have him back to his old self again.


	17. Return Of The Bladebreakers

**Chapter Seventeen - Return Of The Bladebreakers**

But the happiness was shortlived as Vai was attacked by the Soul Stealer unexpectedly and was seriously, perhaps mortally, wounded. While she was rushed to hospital, Kai reluctantly hurried to the team's reunion meeting at the Central Park in Bay City. As the Hiwatari family was rich, he didn't need to worry about expenses. He arrived in Bay City right on time just as his team-mates also appeared.

They talked about how they would outnumber Damian, with only Kai saying nothing. He thought of Vai back in Russia; her critical condition, her serious wounds… She would need him, he thought guiltily. But he had to be here with the team so that they could bring the Soul Stealer down. He gazed up at the sky, thinking, _I sure hope you__'__re okay, Vai. Hang in there - I__'__ll be back as soon as I can, I promise. _Ray saw the desperate anxiety in his eyes and gave him an understanding look.

"I know you feel, Kai," he told Kai softly. "We all do…every single one of us standing here has been affected. Mariah's got a bad fever and she's in a coma, dying…"

"My mum's soul was taken by Damian," added Max quietly.

"Grandpa's mortally wounded…he's barely holdin' on…" Tyson whispered, sighing sadly.

"Vai?" they looked questioningly at Kai, who bowed his head, closing his violet eyes to hide the tears that filled them.

"I don't know…how she is," his voice was a shaky, faint whisper. "She's in hospital…seriously hurt…for all I know, she could be…could be…could be…"

Kai fell silent, unable to continue. The team looked at him in shock. Was it that serious?

_Vai__'__s like Mariah_, Ray reflected. _We don__'__t know how much time she has left__…_

"There's only one thing for it," declared Hilary, breaking the silence. "We must fight Damian now!"

The team glanced at her in astonishment.

"Hil's got a point," Tyson nodded after a moment of awkward silence. "We have to battle him _sometime_. The more time we waste here, the more people die 'cause of him. We need to take a stand…the world'll be countin' on us, so let's do it!"

His confidence lightened the tense, grim mood that hung over them. Max straightened, clenching his fists. He whooped in agreement to Tyson's words. One by one, the rest of the team also nodded or yelled their enthusiastic agreement.

Before they set off to find Mr. Dickenson, Kenny quickly gave them some valuable advice.

"The power of the new blades I've made for you will not be enough to win…I'm afraid no customisation is the key to defeat Damian, guys," he told them. "It's up to you and you alone to figure out a way to beat him."

Tyson's mind raced as he and the team pelted to the BBA Headquarters, excitement bubbling up within him. _I can__'__t believe that the Chief didn__'__t come up with a strategy to use against Damian_, he thought breathlessly. _He usually _can _come up with a solution for anyone we face__…__Why couldn__'__t he find a way? He said that we need to figure it out on our own. But how? _It troubled him all the way to the Headquarters.

They arrived panting at the BBA HQ, and after hastily brushing off a flustered secretary who kept going on and on about them not having an apppointment, rushed up four flights of stairs to Mr. Dickenson's office. The old man looked up as the teenagers burst into the room. He looked at them in surprise.

"Well, this is a nice unexpected reunion!" he exclaimed excitedly. "What can I do for you, boys?"

"It's about…Damian, the Soul Stealer," Tyson gasped, still out of breath from the run to the Headquarters. "We'd like to…challenge him to a Beybattle. It's the only way we can save all those people out there from his soul-sucking powers - the world's in grave danger because of him. We've come to take him down, Mr. Dickenson!"

Mr. Dickenson's eyes lit up. He loved to host official Beyblade battles. "You have my permission to fight Damian," he replied. "I suggest that the battle be held in Central Park as I understand he's powerful, and that such power should be given free rein because he would completely destroy everything if the battle's held in the Stadium. You boys would too. So...is it settled?"

The Bladebreakers nodded.

"What about Damian - how will he know where the battle is?" the old man added.

"Don't worry, he'll be there," Kai reassured him. "Trust me, I know." He thought back to when he'd been attacked by Damian as he said this, remembering how the boy had appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the falling snow back in Russia.

And sure enough, the Soul Stealer was waiting for them as the team and Mr. Dickenson arrived at Central Park. Cameras watched them, news reporters following their every move. The announcer, DJ Jazzman, was also there. A crowd had already gathered to watch the battle. Tyson and his team-mates gazed around in awe at all the people gathered there. News certainly travelled fast in Bay City. They faced Damian; launchers at the ready, Beyblades and ripcords attached and inserted.

"This is the battle you've all been waiting for, folks," Jazzman blared out. "The world-famous Bladebreakers against the infamous Soul Stealer! With the entire globe watching and the fate of the whole world in their hands, it can't get more intense than this. You could cut the tension with a knife out here, everything's so tight. The pressure's on, as each member of the team's been affected by Damian in a different way, so here's the lowdown…"

"First off, Ray's childhood friend, Mariah of the Chinese Beyblade team White Tiger X, was attacked while Ray himself was teaching amateur bladers in his village," the announcer explained. "At the moment, she's very sick and in a coma. No one knows how much time she has left."

A hush fell over the crowd as they waited expectantly for him to carry on.

"Judy, Max's mother, a well-known BBA scientist in America, is in special care because her soul was taken by Damian," he continued. "And Tyson, the Beyblade World Champion, has suffered too - his grandfather's in hospital, mortally wounded, just holding on… Now for Kai. His childhood friend Vai was attacked this morning, also mortally wounded and she's undergoing surgery right at this moment; an operation and a blood transfusion that will hopefully save her life. Talk about pressure! The lives of their loved ones, as well as the fate of the world, is on the line."

The people in the park and watching all over the world counted down together with Jazzman: "Three…two…one…"

In those brief seconds, time seemed to stand still as thoughts raced through the team's minds.

_If we win this battle,_ Ray thought, _Mariah__'__ll wake up and she__'__ll recover__…__I don__'__t know what I__'__d do if she doesn__'__t__…_

_Grandpa__'__ll recover if we defeat the Soul Stealer, _Tyson thought. _If we don__'__t, he__'__ll lose the will to live and everyone else will suffer too. Everything__'__s on the line. _

_If Damian loses, Mum will have her soul back,_ thought Max. _She__'__ll be back to her old self__…__I can__'__t stop thinking of her lifeless eyes. We must win! _

_This battle__'__s nothing compared to the one Vai__'__s fighting right now, _Kai thought. '_Cause if we win, she__'__ll survive the operation. If we fail__…__I__'__ll__…__I__'__ll never see her again__…__But I mustn__'__t think like that. I know you__'__re here with me in spirit, Vai. Hang in there. We have to win. We must. We will._

Suddenly, time seemed to unfreeze and thousands of voices yelled, "LET IT RIP!"

Tyson, Max, Ray and Kai launched their Beyblades in unison as Damian also released his blade, Shadow Demon. As the blades clashed, Mr. Dickenson, Hilary, Kenny and Daichi watched them amidst the crowd.

Max's dad, by his wife's bedside, also watched the action. Lee, the captain of the White Tiger team and Mariah's brother, sat with the rest of his team by Mariah in hospital, staring hard at the television screen as the battle began.

The nurses wheeling Vai into the operating theatre at Moscow hospital glanced at the televsion in a ward to the left of them, glimpsing Kai's face briefly. _He wanted to be with her yet he knew the battle had to be fought and went to Japan to help his team_, a nurse thought admiringly. _Kai and Vai both have a hard battle to fight. Good luck - both of you. _

_I__'__ll be with you every step of the way, Kai_, Vai thought as she was wheeled into the operating theatre. _I promise__…_She fell asleep, one hand clutching the locket about her neck. _We__'__ll be together, always__…_

Meanwhile the battle raged on, with the team battling with all their willpower against Damian. Sparks flew everywhere, shock waves pulsing through the air with each single mere collision Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer had with Shadow Demon. And each collision shook the ground, unbalancing the spectators, including the announcer. Sometimes, the ground itself would crack beneath the tremendous force and power of the Beyblades when they clashed.

It seemed that the Bladebreakers inflicted neither damage to Shadow Demon nor injury to Damian. The team members themselves had already sustained painful minor wounds which pricked and stung them constantly.

A particularly long nasty scratch running down the side of Kai's face throbbed, deeply cut into his cheek. It was open, bleeding freely, a scarlet rivulet flowing down his face. _Damian__'__s stronger than before_, Kai realised. _He not only absorbs attacks but deflects them too. And because of this, his retaliations are more powerful every time he strikes us__…__There__'__s gotta be a way of beating him, there just has to be! _


	18. The Bladebreakers' Devotion

**Chapter Eighteen - The Bladebreakers' Devotion**

Tyson was also getting anxious. _The only chance we have of defeating this chump is to release our Bit Beasts_, he thought, _or we__'__re goners! _He exchanged a determined look with Max, who nodded; Ray caught Tyson's eye, giving him a knowing look; Kai also gave a curt nod, before they all summoned their Bit Beasts. Four shafts of blinding mystical light swirled skyward as they rose up from the Beyblades, intwining. One by one, their Bit Beasts appeared, Tyson's massive blue dragon, Max's purple armoured turtle, Ray's giant green-striped white tiger and Kai's huge, flaming red-gold phoenix all materializing in mid-air side by side above their Beyblades to tower above Damian.

The Bit Beasts let out fierce, challenging battle cries that shook the park. Dragoon and Driger roared thunderously, while Draciel rumbled deafeningly and Dranzer screeched out an ear-splitting, shrill sqawk.

"Go - attack!" Tyson, Ray, Max and Kai yelled together.

The four Bit Beasts attacked at once, lunging straight for Damian and his blade. There was a brilliant flash as Shadow Demon was released.

Suddenly, the sky grew dark with heavily grey thunderclouds. Rain pelted the Bladebreakers in icy sheets. Thunder boomed deafeningly all around and lightning bolts flashed everywhere, darting down from the bleak sky to strike the ground, scattering the panicked crowd. With the gale-force wind lashing rain in their faces, Tyson and his friends grimly battled on.

Shadow Demon, a black ugly-looking creature with insane, blood-shot amber eyes, growled threateningly at them, flexing its claws. The weather worsened as the team's Bit Beasts fought Damian's creature, but in vain. Their Special Attacks were rendered useless, and Shadow Demon's attack weakened them even more. Exhausted, soaked in sweat and covered head to toe in deep cuts, the teenagers swayed weakly. It seemed that Damian really _was_ unbeatable.

Lightning singed the ground before them, flashing dangerously inches away from their feet. Kai watched in horror as more lightning flashed terrifyingly close to them - and struck his friends one after the other in the back.

He grunted as excruciating pain burned through him. A lightning bolt had struck him too and he dropped to his knees, his seared back extremely painful. Hot tears pricked his violet eyes. _Vai, I__'__m sorry, I__'__m so sorry__…_he thought. _I__…__We couldn__'__t beat him__…_Kai slumped forward, collapsing on to his stomach. He lay inert on the ground, eyes closed. His tears soaked the floor with the rain.

In Hong Kong, at the hospital, Mariah's breathing suddenly became shallow…while in Bay City's hospital, Tyson's grandpa's condition deteriorated rapidly. He was slipping away!

In the operating theatre at Moscow hospital, the constant, steady _beep _of Vai's heart monitor became faster and more shrill without warning. The sleeping girl's chest rose and fell quickly.

"Her heart rate's unstable!" exclaimed a nurse anxiously. "She hasn't got enough blood and oxygen in her body…we're losing her…"

"We must work fast - or she won't survive!" added another nurse.

The hand over Vai's locket slowly loosened its grasp, slipping limply away from the necklace. Beneath the oxygen mask Vai's mouth was in a tight grimace as sweat ran down her increasingly pale face, which was contorted as if she were in agony.

_Vai! _As if feeling her pain and sensing that she was in grave danger, Kai suddenly stood up, opening his eyes as he weakly rose to his feet. He breathed fast. "I…must not lose…" he told Damian in a harsh whisper. "I _will not_ lose!" Dranzer, fired by his inner determination, accelerated its spin speed, moving to spin in front of its owner. The Bit Beast itself hovered above its blade in mid-air.

It was then that the last forgotten memory of Kai's past unexpectedly formed in his mind. The most important memory of all and the final fragment that would make him whole again. And it was the memory of him and Vai Beyblading together as five-year-olds in the snow years ago in Russia, trying out their first-ever blades…a precious memory that Kai had kept in his heart always before Voltaire had taken it away. It reminded him of the ever-burning passion he and Vai had shared for Beyblading…a passion that still burned within both of them; a passion that would never die. It was also a passion his team shared with him…and a passion that Damian did not have.

Kai gasped as the solution to beating the Soul Stealer sank in. To win, he and his friends had to battle with everything they had - passion, devotion, love and friendship - all feelings they shared for their sport, families and friends. And that final, revealed memory of his forgotten past had helped him to find the way.

Just then, Tyson also got to his feet, followed by Max and Ray.

"You don't know the true meaning of Beyblade!" cried Ray angrily. "It's about battling with your heart and soul - not battling to _kill_. You created this storm and used it on us - and now we're gonna throw it right back at you!"

The team nodded curtly. The lightning changed to a blindingly bright green as Driger prepared to use the full power of its Special Attack. The gales swirled round and round rapidly, becoming huge tornados as Dragoon also powered up to attack. Dranzer burst into flame while Draciel gathered the rain to strengthen itself. The team fixed their loved ones' faces firmly in their minds and then their creatures attacked, using the love and devotion their owners had for their loved ones, friends and Beyblading to power their attacks.

Dragoon, Driger, Draciel and Dranzer combined their Special Attacks, a giant tornado of fire, water, lightning and wind shooting straight for Damian's Shadow Demon. There was a dazzling, brilliant flash as they struck the opposing Bit Beast. Unable to handle such incredible power, Shadow Demon gave a full-throated roar of fury and pain before vanishing into nothing. Even the Beyblade itself shattered, releasing all the souls it had taken from people worldwide.

The Bladebreakers' Bit Beasts withdrew into their Beyblades, their energy spent. The Beyblades stopped spinning at the same time as Tyson, Ray, Max and Kai collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. The sun broke through the thick dark clouds, its long slanted rays shining upon the inert team as they lay on the ground. Damian, the colour drained from his face, fell to his knees.

"And the winners are…" Jazzman began, and the crowd held its breath.

Everyone across the globe waited with baited breath to hear the outcome of the all-important battle that would determine the fate of the world.

"…The Bladebreakers!"

Deafeningly thunderous applause and cheers shook the park.

And in every country around the world, people were also cheering. Mariah's breathing, back at the hospital in Hong Kong, had gone back to normal...and then for the first time in days, she opened her eyes.

In Bay City's hospital, Tyson's grandpa had been hovering between life and death but thanks to the team's victory, he was well on the road to recovery. His wounds were already healing.

In Moscow hospital, in the operating theatre, Vai's heart monitor gradually resumed its normal, steady _beep, beep_. Her face, no longer twisted in a grimace, was relaxed and she smiled beneath her oxygen mask as she slept.

The colour came back to her cheeks. The hand, which had almost slipped away from her locket, lay relaxed over the necklace. _Well done, my Kai__…_ With that, she drifted into a deeper, more peaceful sleep, breathing softly and deeply.

"The patient's stabilized - and she's out of danger," announced a nurse happily as she and her colleagues wheeled a sleeping Vai out of the operating theatre. "All she needs now is a good long rest and some tender loving care from her boyfriend who'll probably be back soon."

And at Max's house in New York, Max's dad started with surprise as the seemingly lifeless body of his wife _blinked_. He saw in delight that her blue eyes, so like her son's, were full of life once again. The soul had returned to her body. He embraced Judy in relief, laughing happily.

Meanwhile back at Central Park, the exhausted, weak Bladebreakers slowly opened their eyes. Tyson looked at Max, who lay some distance away from him.

"We…did it, didn't we?" he croaked, smiling weakly. Max gave him a wane smile back, nodding slightly.

"Just like old times," added Ray in a faint voice.

Tyson nodded in agreement but stopped as he heard a sound behind him. Grunting slightly, someone was attempting to get to their feet with difficulty. Kai.

"You okay, man?" Tyson asked Kai weakly.

"Yeah…" came Kai's quiet, whispered response. "I'll catch you guys later. I must…see Vai…she needs me."

Tyson understood. "Okay, Kai," he nodded. "See ya, dude!"

"Later, Tyson."

With that, Kai, trembling from head to toe with exhaustion and cold, feebly stumbled his way out of the park and headed for the city's airport.

By the time the plane bound for Russia landed in Moscow, he was even worse than he had been back at Bay City in Japan.

His legs felt like lead, heavy and aching unbearably as he strained, one step at a time, to his hometown's hospital. He all but fell through the doors when he arrived there. Slowly picking himself up, Kai told the receptionist quietly that he wanted to see Vai Malakomi. He felt the woman's worried gaze as he weakly made his way out of the lobby.

Kai slumped into a chair beside Vai's hospital bed once he had reached her. Vai lay still in her bed, breathing softly as she slept on. The gaping wounds in her chest had been sewn up and dressings covered them beneath thick bandages that swathed her torso. A hand laid over the locket about her neck and had two tubes taped to back of it, one attached to a drip, the other to a large sachet of blood. The white room was silent except for the constant beep of Vai's heart monitor. Kai's eyelids drooped as he sat beside his girlfriend.

Kai slipped into a deep sleep, head bowed as he slept. His dishevelled fringe hung over his face, almost covering his eyes. The tattered, torn white scarf wrapped around his neck dangled loosely. His face was relaxed like Vai's, his chest rising and falling while he breathed softly. A nurse noticed how battered he was and gently cleaned and dressed his injuries without rousing him. She even cleaned and combed his hair, so it was its usual silver colour again - and not dark grey with sweat. His fringe no longer covered his eyes, although it still hung over his face a little like it normally did.

Later Kai awoke, blinking once as he slowly opened his eyes. He saw that Vai was still sound asleep and smiled slightly. Gently stroking her beautiful face, he thought, _I__'__ll never leave your side, Vai. You were with me all the time when Damian had crushed my spirit; now it__'__s my turn. _The boy kissed his girlfriend's lips lovingly.

Defeating the Soul Stealer had been their toughest challenge yet but they had come through - thanks to the team's passion for Beyblading and devotion to their loved ones. The world was safe because of them.


	19. Bladebreakers Forever!

**Chapter Nineteen - Bladebreakers Forever! **

Weeks on after Vai had recovered, Kai, her and Wyatt sat next to each other at break time at Whitford High School. Wyatt gushed on and on about the battle with the Soul Stealer as they ate their snacks. He had been talking about it for weeks now, forever pestering Kai and Vai for a minute by minute recount of what had happened. They had grown tired of his constant ranting and promptly ignored him whenever he showed signs of bringing up the subject. This was one such time. Vai gazed out of the window thoughtfully. It was almost the end of winter. Soon, it would be spring. She sighed dreamily. How she'd love to see Japan in the spring. The clear, blue sky, devoid of clouds; the lush green grass, sometimes with the odd pretty Asian flower appearing here and there. And - the _sakura_ trees. The well-known beautiful Japanese cherry blossom trees in full bloom, totally covered in soft, pale pink flowers. As if he had read her mind, Kai whispered to her, "I'd like to see Japan in spring time, too."

Vai got her wish when the spring break arrived. She and her family, with Kai, flew to Japan. They met up with their team-mates in Bay City. Tyson, Hilary, Kenny and Daichi went with Kai and Vai to the Central Park to engage in some just-for-fun Beybattles. (Even Hilary attempted to join in but to no avail, as the moment she released the prototype of a Beyblade Kenny was working on, it ricocheted off everything from Kenny's laptop to Kai's arm. Dust and debris flew everywhere as the panicked friends ran frantically this way and that to evade the rebounding Beyblade!) Daichi and Tyson were in fits of laughter whilst Vai and Kai looked at an embarrassed Hilary, who had gone completely red. Kenny, on the other hand, was holding his laptop over his head to protect himself from the flying blade. It was Kai who finally broke the awkward silence as they stared at her once the chaos was over. His mouth twitched with amusement. He raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, Hilary, you might need to practice _launching_ before you think about battling," he said with a straight face, although his eyes showed amusement.

Hilary giggled nervously, her blush deepening. "Er, yeah…" she mumbled in agreement.

The spring break whizzed by and all too soon, Kai and Vai had to return to Russia. The last term of high school also flashed by and the summer vacation came round again.

The local Shinto shrine was having a summer festival and the reunited team attended the celebration in _yukatas _and Samurai sandals. In the beautiful violet kimono Hilary had given her that Christmas, Vai walked hand in hand with Kai, their sandals clattering on the ground. Vai's raven hair had been tied back into a long, low ponytail, secured by a white ribbon. It streamed out on the warm, light evening breeze. She and Kai stopped to stand on a small wooden bridge, looking down at the sparkling moonlight-bathed water beneath. They saw themselves together, reflected in the water against the luminous full moon.

They were a little distance from the celebrating so the noises of the party were quieter. Although in the background, Vai could distinctly hear Tyson and Daichi's tuneless singing and goofy laughter. She smiled to herself. It sounded like they had had too much saké. She could also hear Hilary yelling at them heatedly to shut up, and Ray and Max's tentative attempts to calm her down.

Her smile broadened as she heard the stressed Hilary's frustrated scream when Tyson and Daichi's giddy singing became louder. Kai also smiled at this. It reminded them both of the strong friendship that all the members of the team shared. A friendship that meant they were ready to support each other if trouble came their way, so they were able to LET IT RIP! anytime, anywhere.

Vai heard Hilary scream in frustration again. "Tyson Granger!" she snarled, "When I get my hands on you, I'll…I'll…"

Vai laughed, grinning as she caught sight of the brown-haired girl streaking after a hiccupping Tyson, who held the sash from her _yukata_. Tyson ran over the bridge, lost his footing and plummeted into the water, taking an annoyed Hilary with him.

The cold water sobered him at once. He found himself on his hands and knees in shallow water over Hilary, his lips touching hers. His cheeks instantly burned and he saw that she had also gone a bright red.

Daichi, who had also sobered at this point, mocked, "Awww, how cute! Tyson an' Hilary're kissin'!" Tyson quickly drew himself away from Hilary as Daichi began to chant, "Tyson loves Hilary! Tyson loves Hilary!"

She looked up at him timidly. "Tyson?" she asked shyly. Her blush deepened noticeably. "I…love you." With that, she kissed him fiercely on the lips before he could reply.

Slowly, the surprised Tyson responded to her kiss, returning her touch.

While Max tried to stop Daichi's annoying chants, Ray suddenly pointed out, "Look! Tyson _does_ love Hilary - they're kissing for real now!"

Daichi halted his chanting in mid-flow abruptly at this. Max, Kenny, Vai, Kai and Daichi's heads snapped round at once to gaze at the two dripping, soaked teenagers in the water, still kissing.

"Just like us," Vai told Kai, smiling gently at him.

"I love you," Kai replied softly, smiling faintly back at her. "With all my heart…" He embraced her tightly and, much to Daichi's disgust, kissed Vai long and firmly on the lips.

Daichi sighed loudly, going as red as his hair. He made wretching noises of revulsion. "Ah, _great_!" he moaned. "Not you too!"

And the whole team burst out laughing.


End file.
